>  JUL    2    1968 

3X714-8. 
.CSTT 


^SToTmj^ 


MINUTES    L  JUL.  2 


1968 


>&^&*S& 


OF      THE 


CONVENTION  OF   DELEGATES 


FROM    THE 


SYNOD  OF  NEW  YORK  AND  PHILADELPHIA, 


AND    FROM 


THE  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  CONNECTICUT 


HELD      ANNUALLY 


FROM   17G6  TO  1775,  INCLUSIVE. 


HARTFORD: 
PRINTED     BY    E.     GLEASON. 

1843. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,   in  the  year  1843,  by  David  D.  Field,  in 
the  Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  of  Connecticut. 


TO  THE  GENERAL  ASSOCIATION  IN   SESSION  AT  WESTBROOK  : 


The  Committee  of  the  General  Association  appointed  in  1842,  to  procure 
"the  Minutes  of  the  doings  of  the  Convention,  held  for  several  successive  years 
previously  to  the  Revolutionary  War,  by  Delegates  from  the  Synod  of  New 
York  and  Philadelphia,  and  from  the  Associations  of  Connecticut,"  beg  leave  to 
report,  that  they  have  attended  to  the  duties  of  their  appointment,  and  have 
all  the  Minutes  in  readiness  for  transmission  to  the  Register  of  the  General  As- 
sociation, as  directed. 

The  Minutes  have  been  procured  partly  in  Connecticut,  and  partly  in  Phila- 
delphia, from  the  office  of  the  Stated  Clerk  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  The  Convention,  as  appears  from  these  documents,  was  held 
annually,  alternately  within  the  bounds  of  the  Synod  and  of  the  Associations, 
from  1766  to  1775  inclusive,  and  was  then  interrupted  by  the  occurrence  of  the 
Revolution,  the  troubles  of  which  rendered  it  impracticable  for  the  Delegates  to 
assemble. 

The  objects  aimed  at  by  the  Synod  and  the  Associations  were,  the  promotion 
of  Christian  friendship  between  the  members  of  their  respective  bodies,  the 
spread  of  the  Gospel,  the  preservation  of  the  religious  liberties  of  their  churches, 
&c.  The  first  and  second  Conventions  were  occupied  mainly  in  forming  and 
completing  their  plan  of  union  and  effort,  and  the  subsequent  Conventions  in 
prosecuting  measures  for  preserving  the  liberties  of  their  churches,  threatened  at 
the  time  by  the  attempts  made  by  the  friends  of  Episcopacy  in  the  Colonies  and 
in  Great  Britain,  for  the  establishment  of  Diocesan  Bishops  in  America.  To 
Bishops  merely  to  superintend  the  concerns  of  Episcopal  churches  they  did  not 
object,  if  they  might  be  duly  restrained  from  going  farther :  but  were  apprehen- 
sive, should  Bishops  be  appointed,  that  they  would  come  clothed  with  all  the 
powers  of  Diocesans  in  the  mother  country,  or  that  they  would  acquire  these 
powers,  and  exercise  them  in  violation  of  the  meaning  and  spirit  of  the  Char- 
ters of  the  Colonies,  and  greatly  to  the  injury  of  other  denominations  of  Chris- 
tians. To  prevent  their  establishment,  the  Convention  entered  into  an  interest- 
ing correspondence  with  the  Committee  of  Dissenters  in  England,  and  into 
arrangements  for  collecting  the  Charters,  laws,  and  customs  of  the  North  Ameri- 
can Colonies,  so  far  as  they  respected  religious  liberty,  for  ascertaining  the 
numbers  of  Non-Episcopalians  in  the  Colonies,  and  their  great  superiority  in 
this  respect  to  the  Episcopalians,  together  with  an  account  of  the  existing  Col- 
leges and  seminaries  of  learning. 

Some  of  the  letters  between  the  Convention  and  the  Committee  of  Dissenters 
in  England  appear  in  the  Minutes,  and  evince  that  our  fathers  were  alive  to  the 
cause  of  religious  freedom.  As  a  specimen  of  the  extracts  made  from  the  Char- 
ters and  Laws  of  the  Colonies,  and  of  the  enumeration  and  classification  of  the 


inhabitants,   the  Committee  hate  copied   the  extracts   made   by  the  Key.  ElilUI 

Goodrich,  p.  P..  of  Durham,  from  the  Charter  end  Laws  of  the  Colon;  of 

Connoetiout  ;   also,  the  collection  by  li i ill  of  the  number  of  the  Xon-F.pisoopalians 

ami  Episcopalians  in  Connecticut,  which  papers  came  providentially  into  their 
handa.     Some  gentlemen  appointed  by  the  Convention  to  make  extracts  did  not 

fulfil    their   appointments,  Or  fulfil   them   entirely,   so  tar  as  is    known,    ami  the 

papers  of  some  who  did,  it  may  he  impossible  at  this  period  to  find. 

"\  our  Committee  deem   the  Minutes  well  worthy  Of  perusal,    ami  helieve  that 
not  a  tew  wouhl  he  gratified  to  see  portions  of  them  in  print. 

All  which  is  respectfully  submitted, 


DAVID  D.  FIELD,        ) 

STEPHEN    DODD,  [  Committee 

ELEAZAR  T.  FITCH,  ) 


Connecticut,  June,  1843. 


The  prooading  Report  being  presented  to  the  General  Association  at  West- 
brook,  was  accepted,  and  referred  with  the  accompanying  documents,  te  >  Com- 
mittee consisting  of  Messrs.  (.;.  Hayes.  '.'..  Swift,  ami  A.  B.  Collins. 

This  Committee  "  made  a  report  whieli  w  as  accepted  ;"  and  then  "  the  doCU- 
lnonts  were  referred  to  the  original  Committee   tor  publication,  without  expense 

to  the"  Association,  accompanied  by  the  following  vote  s 

■  f'otnl.  That  the  profits  of  this  publication  he  given  to  the  members  of  the 

Committee. 

"Attest.  LEVERETT  GRIGGS,  Sense," 


N.  B.    Subsequently  to  the  meeting  of  the  Association  the  publication  was 

entrusted  entirely  lo  the  Chairman. 


Mi  E  M  i\l  I  N  A  li  I  ES 


CONVENTION    OF    1 1  E  M :  < :  A  T  E  8 

i  hum    Tin:   sVMin  OF   mw    V0R1  ani>    PHILADELPHIA,    ami*  fftOM 

Till:     ASSOCIATIONS     Of     CONNECTICUT. 


At  ;i  General  Aiiociation  of  the  Miniiten  in  tli«'  Colony  oi 
Connecticut,  at  Guilford,  the  third  Tueiday  of  June,  1786,  al  the 
houte  "i  the  Rev,  Mr.  Thomas  Rugglei,  ;•  motion  wai  made  to 
the  Aiiociation  by  the  Synod  <>i  New  York  : > i ■  < I  Philadelphia, 
contained  in  ;>  minute  from  the  Synod  Book,  ;m<i  ;>  letter,  which 
are  us  followi : 

Tin:   MINUTE. 

41 A  minute  from  Hi<-  Synod  Book  of  New  5fork  and  Philadol 
phia,  of  May  80th,  P.  M.  Anno  Salutii  n<'»;.  viz. : 

"An  overture  wai  made  by  tome  members  thai  we  ought  to 
endeavor  to  obtain  some  corn  pondence  between  thii  Synod 
.-■it'  I  the  Coniociated  churchei  of  our  brethren  in  Connecticut. 
A  draught  <>i  a  letter  from  thii  Synod  f'»  them  wai  brought  in, 
read,  and  approved.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Elihu  Spencer,  Moderator; 
the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Ewingand  Mr.  Patrick  Alison,  aredi  lired  to 
preionl  thii  letter,  and  confer  with  our  brethren  upon  thii  affair ; 
;in<l  provided  it  ■hall  teem  meet  <•»  our  Rev.  Brethren  to  attend 
to  thii  our  propoial  10  far  ai  to  appoint  commi  iionei  from  their 
body  to  meet  with  commissioners  from  ouri,  we  appoint  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Francis  Mi  on, the  Rev.  Mr. John  Rodgerij  Timothy 
.loins,  William  Tennent,  Sen'r.,  Eliiha  Kent,  John  Smith,  John 
Blair,  and  Samuel  Buel  i«>  meel  with  th<  m  ;ii  "<  b  time  and  place 
;i  the  Rev.  Brethren  of  Connecticut  shall  agree.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Jolm  Rodgen  is  appointed  to  give  the  ( Committee  notice  ol  what 
the  ■    ociated  brethren  will  do  relative  to  thii  matter. 

M  A  true  copy,  M  htheia  Wil  dm,  Synod  Clerk." 


THE   LETTER. 

"  Rev.  and  Dear  Brethren, 

"  The  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  at  their  annual 
meeting  in  May,  17GG,  have,  among  many  other  expedients  to 
promote  the  interests  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  concluded 
upon  the  most  mature  deliberation,  that  a  general  meeting  of  del- 
egates both  from  your  Churches  and  our  Presbyteries  would  an- 
swer this  important  purpose.  Our  earnest  desire  to  accomplish 
so  good  an  end  has  engaged  us  to  embrace  this  opportunity  of 
your  next  General  Association  to  propose  the  matter  to  your 
serious  deliberation,  and  to  invite  you  to  a  general  consultation 
about  such  things  as  may  have  a  hopeful  tendency  to  promote 
and  defend  the  common  cause  of  religion  against  the  attacks  of 
its  various  enemies  ;  as  we  are  all  brethren,  embarked  in  the 
same  interest,  perfectly  agreed  in  doctrine  and  worship,  substan- 
tially pursuing  the  same  method  of  discipline  and  church  gov- 
ernment, and  we  trust  all  animated  with  the  same  laudable  zeal 
to  advance  the  kingdom  of  our  common  Lord,  we  cannot  but 
hope  for  your  ready  concurrence  with  our  invitation.  Your  good 
sense  and  general  acquaintance  with  human  nature,  must  neces- 
sarily lead  you  to  see  that  a  more  intimate  acquaintance  with 
each  others'  views  and  designs,  will  enable  us  with  greater  har- 
mony and  consistence,  and  of  consequence  with  greater  success  to 
support  the  common  cause,  in  which  we  are  all  equally  engaged. 
A  general  agreement  in  any  measures  that  may  be  adapted  to 
preserve  our  religious  liberties  against  all  encroachments,  and  to 
bless  the  benighted  heathen  on  our  borders  with  the  glorious 
light  of  the  Gospel,  must  promise  desirable  success.  From  the 
best  information  we  can  obtain  about  the  constitution  of  your 
churches,  we  are  persuaded  that  our  proposal  is  not  impractica- 
ble, and  it  will  give  us  sensible  pleasure  to  find  that  your  exten- 
sive charity  and  readiness  to  promote  the  kingdom  of  Christ  have 
induced  you  to  concert  such  measures  as  will  be  best  adapted  to 
accomplish  so  important  an  end.  We  have  appointed  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Elihu  Spencer,  Mr.  John  Ewing,  and  Mr.  Patrick  Alison  to 


wait  upon  you  at  your  next  General  Association,  to  deliver  you 
our  letter,  and  to  converse  with  you  at  large  on  the  subject  of 
this  proposal. 

"  Signed  by  order  of  Synod, 

"  By  Elihu  Spencer,  Moderator." 


The  Reply  of  the  General  Association  was  as  follows  :  (sec  the 
Records  of  the  Association  for  June,  1 70(5.) 

"  Whereas  a  proposal  has  been  made  to  this  General  Associa- 
tion by  the  Rev.  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  repre- 
senting that  they  are  strictly  united  with  us  in  doctrine  and  wor- 
ship, as  contained  in  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  and 
Catechisms,  and  that  the  great  and  general  interests  of  the  Re- 
deemer's kingdom  would  be  happily  promoted,  the  common  cause 
of  religion  and  virtue  strengthened  and  defended,  whilst  mutual 
benevolence  and  brotherly  love  would  be  cultivated,  by  a  gene- 
ral union,  agreement,  and  correspondence  with  us,  so  far,  and  in 
such  manner  as  is  consistent  and  in  no  degree  interfering  with 
their  and  our  respective  internal  state  and  order  of  government 
and  discipline ;  and  that  it  will  give  them  great  satisfaction  to 
meet  a  number  of  our  ministers  at  a  suitable  time  and  place,  to 
converse  with  them  upon  a  plan  and  articles  of  such  desired 
union.  We,  therefore,  having  maturely  considered  their  propo- 
sal, are  unanimously  agreed  to  use  our  influence  to  promote  a 
compliance  with  it  through  this  Colony,  and  wre  do  in  order 
thereto,  advise  the  several  Associations  to  appoint  one  or  more 
of  their  body  to  meet  commissioners  from  the  Synod  before 
mentioned,  at  New  York,  the  first  Wednesday  in  November  next, 
to  converse  with  them  upon  a  plan  and  articles  of  such  desired 
union,  to  be  laid  before  the  several  Associations  for  their  con- 
currence, and  to  be  prepared  for  the  consideration  of  the  next 
General  Association,  and  then  to  be  completed. 
"  Voted  in  the  affirmative." 

The  foregoing  reply  was  enclosed  in  a  letter  from  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Ruggles,  Moderator  of  the  General  Association,  and  sent 
to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rodgers,  of  New  York. 


o 
o 


"  Guilford,  June  17,  1766. 
"  With  gratitude  we  have  received  the  friendly  proposal  from 
your  Rev.  Synod  relative  to  a  general  union,  and  our  ready  com- 
pliance with  it  comes  enclosed  ;  and  we  shall  rejoice  if  the  design 
may  be  happily  carried  into  execution,  and  answer  the  good  and 
valuable  ends  in  view.  And  may  the  glorious  and  blessed  time 
approach  when  love  and  union  may  prevail  among  all  denomina- 
tions of  Christians  through  the  world.  We  are,  Rev.  Sir,  your 
affectionate  brethren. 

"  Signed  by  order  of  the  Association, 

"  Thomas  Ruggles,  Moderator." 


At  an  adjourned  session  of  the  General  Association  at  the 
Chapel  Hall,  in  New  Haven,  Sept.  11,  1766,  the  following  or- 
der was  taken  : 

"  This  Association  met  according  to  adjournment,  and  upon 
the  unanimous  motion  and  desire  of  the  large  Convention  of  min- 
isters present  on  occasion  of  the  commencement,  the  Moderator 
of  this  Association  is  requested  by  writing,  to  desire  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Rodgers,  that  the  intended  interview  of  delegates  from  the 
Rev.  Synod  of  New  York,  &c,  and  the  several  Associations  of 
this  Colony  may  be  at  Jamaica,  on  Long  Island,  and  not  at  New 
York  as  was  at  first  proposed,  where  it  could  not  be  attended 
without  danger  of  the  small  pox. 

"  Voted  in  the  affirmative. 

"  Recorded  by  Edward  Eells,  Scribe." 


The  contemplated  meeting  was  finally  appointed  to  be  at 
Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey. 


CONVENTION    AT   ELIZABETHTOWN, 

FOR  FORMING  A  PLAN  OF  UNION. 

Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey,  Nov.  5,  1766. 
The  Convention  of  the  Rev.  the  Delegates  from  the  several 
Associations  of  Connecticut,  and  the  Rev.  Committee  of  the  Sy- 
nod of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,   met  according  to  agree- 
ment. 


Present  from  Connecticut,  the  Ilev.  Messrs.  Noah  Wells,  Sam- 
uel Newel,  James  Sproat,  Elizur  Goodrich,  Benjamin  Boardman, 
and  William  Tennent,  Jun. 

Members  of  the  Synod,  Rev.  Messrs.  William  Tennent,  Sen., 
Dr.  Francis  Alison,  John  Blair,  Timothy  Jones,  John  Brainerd, 
Samuel  Buel,  Azariah  Horton,  Charles  Beaty,  William  Mills, 
Alexander  Mc  Whorter,  Benjamin  Hait,  Jonathan  Elmer,  Israel 
Reed,  John  Guild,  Benjamin  Woodruff,  Azel  Roe,  Patrick  Alison, 
Jedediah  Chapman,  Joseph  Treat,  and  John  Rodgers. 

Mr.  Wells  opened  the  Convention  with  a  sermon  from  Rom. 
iii.  31,  after  which  Mr.  Wells  was  chosen  Chairman,  and  Mr. 
Rodgers,  Scribe. 

Adjourned  till  9  o'clock  to-morrow  morning.  Concluded  with 
prayer. 

6th  day  :  9  o'clock,  A.  M.    Post  preces  sederunt  qui  supra. 

Ordered  that  the  minutes  of  the  last  sederunt  be  read.  Pre- 
sent also  this  day  from  Connecticut,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Joseph 
Bellamy,  Robert  Ross,  and  Nathaniel  Taylor  ;  and  of  the  Synod, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Enoch  Green. 

The  minutes  of  the  Synod  respecting  this  Convention,  and 
their  letter  to  the  associated  brethren  of  Connecticut  inviting: 
them  thereto,  were  read :  as  also  the  commission  of  the  several 
brethren  from  that  Colony,  given  them  by  their  respective  Asso- 
ciations. 

The  design  of  this  Convention  was  then  opened,  and  two  pa- 
pers on  the  subject  were  read.  Agreed  that  they  be  taken  into 
consideration,  which  was  accordingly  done,  and  after  some  con- 
sideration on  their  several  articles,  adjourned  till  3  o'clock,  P.  M. 
Concluded  with  prayer. 

3  o'clock,  P.  M.  Post  preces  sederunt  qui  supra.  Ordered 
that  the  minutes  of  the  last  sederunt  be  read. 

Mr.  John  Carmichael,  a  member  of  Synod,  is  also  present. 
The  General  Convention  proceeded  to  consider  the  articles  of 
the  papers  read  the  last  sederunt,  and  the  following  general  arti- 
cles were  agreed  to,  to  be  laid  before  our  respective  constituents, 
viz. : 

2 


10 

A    PLAN    OF    UNION, 

Drawn  up  by  the  Delegates  from  the  Associated  Pastors  of  the 
Colony  of  Connecticut,  and  the  Committee  of  the  Synod  of  New 
York  and  Philadelphia,  convened  at  Elizabethtown,  Nov.  5, 1766. 
Article  I.  That  a  General  Convention  be  formed  of  the 
Pastors  of  the  Congregational,  Consociated,  and  Presbyterian 
Churches  in  North  America,  consisting  of  Delegates,  chosen  by 
each  of  these  respective  bodies,  to  be  held  annually,  or  as  often 
as  may  be  thought  necessary,  and  that  the  first  Convention  be 
held  at  New  Haven  the  next  day  after  their  public  commence- 
ment, which  will  be  the  10th  day  of  Sept.  1767. 

Article  II.  That  this  General  Convention  shall  not  be  in- 
vested with,  nor  shall  it  any  time  hereafter  assume  any  power, 
dominion,  jurisdiction,  or  authority  over  the  Churches  or  Pastors, 
or  over  any  other  Church  or  Pastor.*  And  it  is  particularly 
agreed  that  the  Congregational,  Consociated,  and  Presbyterian 
Churches  shall  subsist  entire  and  independent  of  each  other,  not- 
withstanding this  union,  retaining  their  particular  usages  and 
forms  of  government ;  nor  shall  any  attempts  be  made,  nor  any 
authority  directly  or  indirectly  used  by  this  General  Convention 
to  change  or  assimilate  the  same. 

Article  III.  That  the  general  design  of  this  Convention  be 
to  gain  information  of  the  public  state  of  this  united  cause  and 
interest ;  to  collect  accounts  relative  thereto  ;  to  unite  our  en- 
deavors and  counsels  for  spreading  the  Gospel,  and  defending 
the  religious  liberties  of  our  Churches  ;  to  diffuse  union  and  har- 
mony, and  to  keep  up  a  correspondence  throughout  this  united 
body,  and  with  our  friends  abroad,  to  recommend,  cultivate,  and 
preserve  loyalty  and  allegiance  to  the  King's  Majesty,  and  also 
to  address  the  King,  or  the  King's  Ministers  from  time  to  time 
with  assurances  of  the  unshaken  loyalty  of  the  pastors  compre- 
hended in  this  union  and  the  churches  under  their  care,  and  to 
vindicate  them  if  unjustly  aspersed. 

Article  IV.  That  summary  accounts  of  all  the  informations 
and  transactions  of  this  General  Convention,  be  from  time  to 
time,  duly  transmitted  to  all  the  Associations,  Presbyteries  and 
other  bodies,  that  shall  accede  to,  or  be  included  in  this  Union. 

*  For  an  addition  to  this  article  here,  see  p.  19. 


11 

It  is  also  agreed  that  letters  be  wrote  to  the  Rev.  the  ministers 
of  the  Congregational  and  Prcshvterian  Churches  of  the  Massa- 

DO  J 

chusetts,  New  Hampshire,  and  Rhode  Island  governments,  in- 
forming them  what  we  have  done  at  this  General  Convention, 
and  inviting  them  in  the  warmest  manner  to  meet  us  by  proper 
delegates  at  New  Haven  on  the  day  agreed  on  :  as  also  that  let- 
ters of  the  same  nature  or  tenor  be  wrote  to  the  Rev.  brethren 
of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Churches  in  the  Provinces  of  New  York, 
New  Jersey,  and  Pennsylvania  ; — and  Mr.  Bellamy,  Mr.  Beaty, 
and  Mr.  Mc  Whorter  are  desired  to  prepare  draughts  of  said 
letters,  to  be  brought  in  to-morrow  morning. 

Inasmuch  as  there  are  three  Associations  in  Connecticut  who 
are  not  represented  in  this  General  Convention,  Mr.  Sproat  is 
desired  to  communicate  a  copy  of  this  Plan  to  the  Moderator  of 
the  two  Associations  in  New  London  countv,  and  Mr.  Newel  is 
desired  to  communicate  one  to  the  Moderator  of  the  Association 
of  Windham. 

Adjourned  till  9  o'clock  to-morrow  morning.  Concluded  with 
prayer. 

7th  day :  9  o'clock,  A.  M.  P.  P.  S.  Q.  S.  Ordered  that  the 
minutes  of  the  last  sederunt  be  read.  The  Committee  appointed 
to  draw  up  a  copy  of  a  letter  to  the  Brethren  of  the  Massachu- 
setts, New  Hampshire,  and  Rhode  Island  governments  and  the 
Dutch  Churches,  brought  it  in,  which  was  read,  approved,  and 
is  as  follows : 

To  the  Reverend,  the,  &c. 

The  Rev.  Delegates  from  the  Associated  Pastors  in  Con- 
necticut, and  the  Rev.  the  Committee  of  the  Synod  of  New  York 
and  Philadelphia,  convened  at  Elizabethtown,  Nov.  5,  1766 — 

Rev.  Brethren, — The  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia 
at  their  last  session  in  May,  taking  into  serious  consideration  the 
many  valuable  purposes,  both  for  promoting  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  and  preserving  our  religious  liberty  that  might  be  answer- 
ed by  a  general  union  of  the  Congregational,  Consociated,  and 
Presbyterian  Ministers  in  these  Colonies  of  North  America,  pro- 
posed their  thoughts  to  the  Rev.  Associated  Pastors  of  Connecti- 
cut, who  appointed  delegates  from  each  of  their  Associations  to 


12 

meet  with  a  Committee  of  said  Synod,  and  concert  some  plan 
wherein  they  might  unite,  and  then  lay  said  plan  before  their 
respective  constituents,  who  met  accordingly  and  drew  up  such 
a  plan  of  union,  as  appeared  to  them  expedient,  which,  if  approv- 
ed by  their  constituents  will  be  confirmed  at  our  first  General 
Convention,  which  is  to  be  the  10th  of  Sept.  1767,  at  New 
Haven.  And  as  we  greatly  desire  that  the  union  should  extend 
through  all  the  Colonies,  we  embrace  this  first  opportunity  to  in- 
form our  brethren  of  it,  in  the  other  Provinces,  that  if  agreeable 
to  them,  they  may  send  delegates  to  this  General  Convention,  to 
unite  in  this  important  design,  and  assist  in  finishing  and  com- 
pleting the  Plan,  of  which  we  enclose  you  a  copy,  that  you  may 
have  time  to  deliberate  upon  it,  and  if  you  shall  think  proper  to 
unite  with  us,  may  have  opportunity  to  make  such  emendations  as 
you  shall  judge  expedient. 

Your  presence,  by  such  gentlemen  as  you  shall  appoint  from 
your  Rev.  body,  in  such  way  and  manner  as  to  you  shall  appear 
most  convenient,  will  be  very  acceptable  to  your  brethren,  in  our 
common  Lord. 

Per  order  of  this  Convention, 

Noah  Wells,  Chairman. 

It  is  agreed  that  these  letters  be  signed  by  the  Chairman,  in 
the  name  of  the  present  Convention. 

Adjourned  till  3  o'clock,  P.  M.     Concluded  with  prayer. 

3  o'clock,  P.  M.  Post  preces  sederunt  qui  supra.  Ordered 
that  the  minutes  of  the  last  sederunt  be  read. 

The  letters  to  the  several  brethren  to  the  eastward  were  prop- 
erly signed,  and  sent  with  the  plans  enclosed.  The  Scribe  is 
desired  to  send  proper  copies  of  this  letter  to  the  Pastors  of  the 
Dutch  Reformed  Churches,  together  with  a  plan  of  the  proposed 
union.     Concluded  with  prayer. 


The  above  is  a  faithful  account  of  the  doings  of  the  General 
Association  of  Connecticut,  and  the  Convention  at  Elizabethtown? 
and  presented  to  the  Association  of  New  Haven  County,  by  Eli- 
zur  Goodrich. 


13 

[The  following  is  annexed  to  the  foregoing  Minutes,  in  the  hands  of  the  Re- 
gister of  New  Haven  East  Association,  and  is  hero  inserted.] 

Suppose  a   gentleman  in  the  Colonies  should  write  to  his  correspondent  in 
London,  as  follows  : 

"  Sir, — We  understand  sundry  petitions  have  been  sent  home  by  some  of  the 
Episcopal  Clergy  in  these  Colonies  in  order  to  obtain  the  appointment  of  a  Bish- 
op here  ;  and  that  it  is  a  determined  point  on  your  side  of  the  water  to  embrace 
the  first  favorable  opportunity  for  that  purpose.  This  affair  we  must  confess 
gives  us  much  anxiety,  not  that  we  are  of  intolerant  principles  ;  nor  do  we  envy 
the  Episcopal  Churches  the  privileges  of  a  bishop  for  the  purposes  of  ordination, 
confirmation,  and  inspecting  the  moials  of  their  Clergy,  provided  they  have  no 
kind  of  superiority  over,  nor  power  any  way  to  affect  the  civil  or  religious  in- 
terests of  other  denominations.  Let  this  be  but  settled  by  an  act  of  Parliament, 
and  such  bishops  divested  of  the  powers  annexed  to  that  office  by  the  common 
law  of  England,  and  then  we  shall  be  more  easy.  Without  this  the  introduction 
of  a  Diocesan  into  the  Colonies,  would  throw  us  into  the  utmost  confusion  and 
distraction.  For  though  it  is  alleged  that  no  other  than  the  above  hinted  mode- 
rate Episcopacy  is  desired  or  designed  ;  yet  should  it  not  be  fixed  by  Parliament- 
ary Authority,  we  have  no  security  that  matters  will  be  carried  no  farther  ;  yea, 
from  the  restless  spirit,  which  some  here  have  discovered,  we  have  reason  to 
apprehend  that  there  is  more  in  view.  Our  forefathers,  and  even  some  of  our- 
selves have  seen  and  felt  the  tyranny  of  Bishops'  Courts.  Many  of  the  first 
inhabitants  of  these  Colonies  were  obliged  to  seek  an  asylum  among  savages  in 
this  wilderness,  in  order  to  escape  the  ecclesiastical  tyranny  of  Arch-Bishop 
Laud,  and  others  of  his  stamp.  Such  tyranny,  if  now  exercised  in  America, 
would  either  drive  us  to  seek  new  habitations  among  the  heathen,  where  Eng- 
land could  not  claim  a  jurisdiction,  or  excite  riots,  rebellion,  and  wild  disorder. 
We  dread  the  consequences  as  oft  as  we  think  of  this  danger.  Gentlemen  ac- 
quainted with  the  law  inform  us,  that  a  Bishop  is  a  public  minister  of  state, 
known  in  the  common  law  of  England,  and  invested  with  a  power  of  erecting 
courts  to  take  cognizance  of  all  affairs  testamentary  and  matrimonial,  and  to 
enquire  into  and  punish  for  all  offences  of  scandal.  Might  he  not  plead,  as 
well  as  any  man,  that  the  common  law  of  England  is  his  birth-right,  and  that 
the  laws  in  force  before  the  settling  of  the  Colonies,  were  brought  hither,  and 
took  place  with  the  first  settlers.  What  is  to  hinder  him  to  claim  all  the  powers 
exercised  by  Arch-Bishop  Laud,  and  his  Ecclesiastical  Courts?  All  acts  made 
in  England  since  that  time  to  lessen  the  power  of  Bishops  and  their  Courts, 
can  be  of  no  service  to  us  ;  for  it  is  not  mentioned  in  any  of  them,  that  they  are 
extended  to  the  Colonies,  and  the  reason  is  plain  ;  no  such  exorbitant  powers 
were  claimed  or  exercised  among  us.  Now  can  any  thing  else  than  the  most 
grievous  convulsion  in  the  Colonics,  be  expected  from  such  a  revolution  ?  Will 
it  all  go  down  with  us  to  have  the  whole  course  of  business  turned  into  a  new 
channel  ?  Would  it  be  yielded  that  the  Register's  office,  the  care  of  orphans,  &c. 
should  be  transferred  from  the  present  officers,  to  such  as  a  Bishop  might  ap- 
point ?     Would  not  the  Colonies  suffer  the  last  extremities  before  they  would 


14 

submit  to  have  the  legality  of  marriages  and  matters  respecting  divorce  tried  in 
an  Ecclesiastical  Court.  It  is  not  easy  to  conceive  what  endless  prosecutions, 
under  the  notion  of  scandal  may  be  multiplied.  A  covetous,  a  tyrannical  and 
domineering  Prelate,  or  his  Chancellor,  would  always  have  it  in  their  power  to 
harass  our  country,  and  make  our  lives  bitter  by  fines,  imprisonments,  and  law- 
less severity.  Will  the  numerous  colonies  who  came  hither  for  the  sake  of 
freedom  from  ecclesiastical  oppression,  and  by  whose  toil  a  great  increase  of 
dominion  and  commerce  hath  arisen  to  the  mother  country,  bear  to  find  them- 
selves divested  of  the  equality  and  liberty  they  have  so  long  enjoyed,  and 
brought  under  the  power  of  a  particular  denomination  ?  And  see  them  monop- 
olize all  important  places  of  trust  in  order  to  secure  that  power  ?  That  the  Epis- 
copal Churches  should  enjoy  all  the  privileges  of  their  own  discipline  and  gov- 
ernment is  a  matter  we  have  nothing  to  object  against:  but  let  Bishops  be  by 
law  confined  to  the  care  of  the  people  and  clergy  of  their  own  Church,  and  stript 
of  all  their  formidable  power  over  other  denominations,  and  let  us  be  secured 
against  the  burden  of  their  support  ;  but  without  this  we  shall  look  upon  our- 
selves reduced  to  the  most  abject  state,  enslaved  to  the  power  of  those,  whose 
interest  or  ambition  may  lead  them  to  oppress  us,  without  the  advantage  of 
being  near  the  throne  to  beg  relief,  while  they  would  be  supported  by  all  the 
power  and  influence  of  the  Bishops  at  home.  We  have  no  more  to  object  to  a 
Bishop  over  the  Episcopal  Churches  in  America  than  among  the  Canadians  and 
Moravians,  provided  they  have  no  more  to  do  with  us.  We  only  desire  the 
interests  of  our  friends,  that  if  Bishops  must  be  sent,  which  we  fear  will  be  at- 
tended with  bad  consequences,  they  may  be  under  such  restraints,  as  are  con- 
sistent with  our  present  state  of  peace  and  liberty,  and  beg  their  influence  to 
prevent  these  evils,  which  will  inevitably  disturb  the  peace  of  our  Colonies  with- 
out doing  any  real  service  to  religion,  or  the  Episcopal  Churches.  Do  us  the 
justice  to  assort  that  we  love  our  most  gracious  King  and  the  British  Constitu- 
tion,— that  we  are  upon  principle  loyal  as  well  as  profitable  subjects,  and  that 
our  importance  to  Great  Britain  will  become  every  day  more  evident,  and  take 
proper  opportunities  to  lay  these  dangers  before  our  friends  with  you,  which 
will  oblige  thousands  in  America,  and  in  particular,  «fcc." 


Among  the  files  in  the  hands  of  the  Register  of  New  Haven  East  Association 
is  the  following  letter,  relating  to  the  same  subject  as  the  foregoing  document. 
[The  Register  says  a  part  of  the  letter  is  in  short  hand  which  he  found  very 
difficult  to  decipher.     A  few  words,  he  says,  are  unintelligible.] 

To  Mr.  Sproat, 

Rev.  Sir, — You  desired  me  to  let  you  know  why  we  are  persuaded  in  this 
city,  that  there  is  a  determination,  or  a  fixed  resolution  to  send  Bishops  to 
America. 

By  a  letter  from  Dr.  Ch.  [Chandler]  which  I  have  by  me,  I  was  informed  that 
the  Bishop  of  Canterbury,  in  a  conference  with  him,  said  with  some  vehemence^ 
that  it  was  hard  to  deny  that  privilege  to  the  Church  of  England  in  America 
that  she  allowod   to  all  Dissenters,  viz.  liberty    of  conscience.     And  they  were 


15 

determined,  as  lie  said,  in  a  propor  time,  to  send  Bishops.  The  Doctor  said 
he  desired  he  might  know  before  tlioy  were  sent,  which  the  Arch-Bishop  prom, 
ised  him.  Dr.  Samuel  Provost  of  our  Colony  told  mo  that  it  was  the  last  tiling 
the  Arch-Bishop  gave  his  clergy  in  charge,  not  to  tease  tho  Bishop  and 
others,  with  petitions  from  the  clergy  of  the  Colonies,  for  they  would  watch 
the   opportunity,   and  make   a  point  of  sending   Bishop9  without  any  further 

trouble.     He   also  told  a  gentleman  of  great  veracity  of  the that  he 

[Dr.  Smith]  had  given  in  a  plea  for  establishing  Bishops  which  would  certainly 
take  place.  Tho  Bishop  of  Canterbury,  I  was  told  by  Mr.  William  S —  [Smith] 
of  New  York,  in  his  answer  to  Dr.  Mayhcw,  declares  that  they  would  send 
Bishops  as  soon  as  it  would  be  found  agreeable  to  tho  P.,  and  that  may  be 
easily  accomplished  by  the  Governor  and  Assembly  of  some  of  our  Colonies, 
which  would  be  taken  for  the  voice  of  the  people  before  the  petition  ; — and 
Doct.  S —  told  me  that  the  leading  Quakers  in  this  Province,  offered  to  sign  a 
certificate  that  they  are  willing  to  admit  a  moderate  Episcopacy. 

I  saw  two  petitions  from  the  Clergy  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  New  York 
and  Jersey  governments,  petitioning  for  a  Bishop  or  Bishops,  complaining  that 
more  than  a  million,  (in  the  other  near  a  million)  of  petitioners  or  parishioners 

of  Episcopalians  (of  persons  of  the of  Epis.)  arc  without  Bishops,  while 

all  other  religious  denominations  had  their  forms  of  government  full  and  com- 
plete. These  were  written  the  2d  Oct.  1765,  and  sent  home,  and  with  them 
fire  others,  viz.  2  to  the  Arch-Bisliops  of  York  and  Canterbury  ;  two  to  the  2 
Universities  ;  one  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  one  to  the  Society  for  Propagating 
the  Gospel,  and  one  to  the  King  ;  7  in  all.  And  in  them  or  these  they  reflect 
on  other  denominations  as  disaffected  to  Monarchical  Government,  and  allege 
that  tho  King's  power,  (or  privilege)  and  theirs  is  inseparably  connected.  In 
that  city  it  is  the  subject  of  conversation  in  the  coffee-house  and  in  the  most 
public  companies  as  an  affair  that  must  take  place  ;  and  as  an  affair  that  it 
would  be  disloyal  and  intolerant  to  oppose.  One  of  their  petitions  above  men- 
tioned, was  found  among  Dr.  Chandler's  papers,  as  Mr.  Stockton  informed 
Mr.  William  Smith,  of  New  York,  by  a  letter  which  I  heard  him  read. 

In  the  Annual  Register  for  the  year  1765,  Mr.  Allen  of  that  city,  showed 
me  the  plea  proposed  by  Dr.  Boulter,  (who  was  a  Bishop,)  for  sending  Bishops 

to  America.     And  Dr.  S told  me  that  they  would    have  Bishops  settled 

in  America  in  spite  of  all  tho  Presbyterian  opposition,  mid  added  that  the  Qua- 
kers and  Baptists  would  join  with  them  against  us.  They  say  that  their  Bish- 
ops are  only  to  have  the  power  of  ordaining,  confirming,  and  taking  care  of  tho 
morals  of  their  Episcopal  Clergy.  To  such  few  would  make  objections.  That 
is  the  Arch.Bishop's  proposal,  and  Bishop  Boulter,  (or  Butler's)  scheme.  As 
a  Bishop  is  a  state  affair,  known  in  the  common  law  of  England,  by  that  law 
he  has  a  right  to  establish  courts,  to  take  cognizance  of  all  affairs  matrimonial, 
testamentary,  and  relating  to  scandals  ;  and  no  denomination  is  free  from  his 
jurisdiction.  That  power  they  have  a  right  by  common  law  to  exercise  ;  as 
we  are  informed  by  gentlemen  as  well  skilled  in  tho  law  as  any  on  the  Conti- 
nent; and  under  one  of  these  three  heads  we  must  feel  tho  severity  of  a  spirit- 
ual Court.     The  friends  of  Episcopacy  say  that  their  power  in  England  can- 


16 

not  take  place  in  America,  for  it  is  local  and  confined.  We  know  that  in 
New  England  governments — Tabellions,  or  Notaries  public,  are  appointed  by 
lhe  Arch. Bishop  of  Canterbury,  which  shows  that  he  claims  this  power  by  the 
common  law.  In  New  York  we  are  told  that  all  the  marriage  licenses  grant- 
ed by  the  Governor  are  stamped  with  the  mitre ;  which  shows  that  Bishops 
claim  the  power  there  in  affairs  matrimonial  ;  and  I  am  told  that  the  Governor 
of  New  Jersey  holds  a  commission  from  the  Arch. Bishop  to  act  for  him  in 
some  things  relating  to  affairs  testamentary  or  matrimonial,  or  both.  Henco 
it  is  evident  from  the  conduct  of  the  Arch-Bishop,  that  they  claim  this  power, 
and  that  they  will  erect  such  courts  to  ruin  and  oppress  us  unless  they  be 
restrained  by  an  act  of  Parliament  ;  and  that  every  friend  of  liberty  should 
plead  for,  if  Bishops  must  be  sent  among  us.  Thus  have  I  briefly  laid  before 
you  what  I  know  in  that  affair,  and  wishing  you  safe  to  your  family  and  con- 
nections,  I  am,  Dear  Sir,  your  affectionate  friend  and  humble  servant, 

Fra.  Alison. 
Philadelphia,  Nov.  15,  1766. 


In  the  Printed  Minutes  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  for 
May  27,  1767,  p.  373,  the  Convention  at  Elizabethtown  is  thus  noticed,  and 
commissioners  are  appointed  for  the  meeting  at  New  Haven. 

"  The  consideration  of  the  Correspondence  with  the  Associato  Churches  of 
Connecticut  resumed. 

"The  Minutes  of  a  Convention  held  at  Elizabethtown,  the  5th  of  Nov.  last, 
by  Delegates  from  the  Consociated  Churches  in  Connecticut  and  from  this 
Synod,  were  read,  and  a  plan  of  union  proposed  betwsen  the  Congregational, 
Consociated,  and  Presbyterian  Churches  formed  at  that  Convention,  was  seri- 
ous]}' considered  and  amended,  and  the  following  gentlemen,  with  any  other 
ministers  of  this  reverend  body  that  please  to  attend,  are  appointed  to  meet 
with  the  delegates  or  commissioners  from  the  Congregational  and  Consociated, 
or  any  Presbyterial  bodies,  at  New  Haven,  the  tenth  day  of  next  September, 
and  there  finally,  on  the  part  of  this  body,  to  complete  the  plan  of  union,  and 
transact  all  other  business  that  shall  be  found  necessary  in  consequenco 
thereof." 

[Hero  follow  a  list  of  the  gentlemen  appointed  delegates,  which  it  is  not 
necessary  to  insert.] 


The  General  Association  of  Connecticut,  June  16,  1767,  thus  recognize  the 
Convention  at  Elizabethtown. 

"  The  Association  being  informed  by  the  Delegates  that  the  several  particu- 
lar Associations  in  the  Colony,  have  considered  and  approved  the  design  of  a 
Convention  at  New  Haven  next  September,  agreeable  to  the  motion  made  at 
the  Convention  in  Elizabethtown  last  November,  and  have  appointed  Delegates 
to  attend  it  :  desire  the  Moderator  to  signify  the  same  to  the  Rev.  Synod  by  a 
letter  to  the  Rev.  John  Rodgers  of  New  York,  which  is  as  follows  : 

"Rev.  Sir, 
"  By  order  of  the  General  Association  now  regularly  convened  at  Middle- 
town,  I  am  desired  to  inform  you,  and  by  you,  the  Rev.  Synod  of  New  York 


17 

and  Philadelphia,  that  the  proposed  Convention  at  New  Haven  in  Sept.  next 
lias  been  considered  and  approved  by  the  particular  Associations  through  the 
Government,  and  they  have  appointed  Delegates  to  attend  the  Convention 
agreed  to  by  the  Rev.  Convention  at  Elizabethtown  in  November  last ;  and  to 
assure  you  that  with  great  respect  we  are  your  brethren  in  the  faith  and  fellow- 
ship of  our  common  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

[The  Rev.  Thomas  Ruggles  was  the  Moderator.] 


CONVENTION  AT  NEW  HAVEN. 

New  Haven,  Sept.  10,  1767. 

The  General  Convention  met :  Ubi  post  preces  sederunt.  Of 
the  Rev.  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Francis  Alison,  Messrs.  William  Ramsey,  William  Kirkpatrick, 
Benjamin  Hait,  Alexander  Mc  Whorter,  Azel  Rowc,  John  Ewing, 
Patrick  Alison,  Thomas  Lewis,  Nehemiah  Bacher,  Chauncey 
Graham,  Eliphalet  Ball,  Solomon  Mead,  John  Rodgers,  and  Jed- 
ediah  Chapman. 

Of  the  Rev.  the  Presbytery  of  Boston,  Messrs.  Jonathan  Par- 
sons and  David  Mc  Gregory. 

Of  the  Rev.  the  Associated  Pastors  of  Connecticut,  Messrs. 
Nathaniel  Eells,  Joseph  Fish,  Philemon  Robbins,  Ebenezer  De- 
votion, Benjamin  Throop,  Benjamin  Pomroy,  James  Cogswell, 
Timothy  Pitkin,  Edward  Dorr,  Samuel  Lockwood,  William  Rus- 
sel,  James  Sproat,  Noah  Wells,  Daniel  Farrand,  Nathaniel  Bart- 
lett,  John  Devotion,  Robert  Ross,  and  Hezekiah  Gold. 

The  Convention  was  opened  with  a  sermon,  by  Dr.  Francis 
Alison,  from  1  Cor.  xii.  27.  Dr.  Alison  was  chosen  Chairman, 
and  Mr.  Wells,  Scribe.  After  prayer  the  Convention  adjourned 
to  3  o'clock,  P.  M. 

3  o'clock,  P.  M.  met  according  to  adjournment,  and  opened 
with  prayer. 

Voted,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Convention  be  returned  to  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Francis  Alison  for  his  sermon  delivered  at  the  opening 

3 


18 

of  it,  and  that  he  be  desired  to  give  a  copy  of  it  that  it  may  be 
printed. 

The  Minutes  of  the  Convention  at  Elizabethtown,  in  Nov.  last 
were  read  in  Convention  ;  as  also  the  Resolves  of  the  Convention 
in  Boston,*  the  Associated  Pastors  of  Rhode  Island  and  Provi- 
dence, and  of  one  Association  in  New  Hampshire,  in  answer  to 
the  letters  of  invitation  sent  them  from  the  Convention  in  Nov. 
last.  After  some  conversation  and  debate  upon  the  above  Re- 
solves ; 

Voted,  That  Messrs.  Ebenezer  Devotion,  Parsons,  Mc  Grego- 
ry, Evving,  Mc  Whorter,  Sproat,  and  Dorr  be  appointed  a  Com- 
mittee to  bring  in  a  plan  for  continuing  the  Convention. 

Adjourned  to  9  o'clock  to-morrow  morning.  Concluded  with 
prayer. 

11th  day.  Met  according  to  adjournment,  and  opened  with 
prayer.  Moved  that  the  Resolves  of  the  Convention  in  Boston, 
in  answer  to  the  letter  of  invitation  be  reconsidered  ;  the  same 
were  accordingly  read,  and  a  free  conference  had  upon  the 
contents  of  them. 

A  Plan  for  continuing  this  Convention,  prepared  by  the  Com- 
mittee appointed  for  that  purpose,  was  brought  in  and  read  in 

*  The  Resolves  here  referred  to  are  supposed  to  be  the  votes  in  the  following  Ex- 
tract from  the  Records  of  the  Convention  of  Congregational  Ministers  in  Massachu- 
setts. 

"  Boston,  May  27,  1767-  A  letter  from  the  Rev.  Delegates  from  the  Associated  Pastors 
in  Connecticut,  and  the  Rev.  Committee  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia, 
convened  at  Elizabethtown,  Nov.  5th,  1766,  to  the  Rev.  Convention  of  the  Congregational 
Pastors  in  Massachusetts-Bay,  inviting  them  to  send  their  Delegates  to  the  proposed  Gen- 
eral Convention  at  New  Haven,  on  September  10th,  1767,  was  communicated  to  the  Con- 
vention, together  with  a  Plan  of  Union,  drawn  up  by  the  Delegates  aforesaid  ;  to  take 
place  among  the  Pastors  of  the  Congregational  and  Presbyterian  Churches  in  North 
America." 

May  28.  "  Voted,  &c.  Whereas  we  have  received  a  letter  from  the  Rev.  Delegates 
(aforesaid)  &c.  &c.  That  although  we  are  not  prepared  to  send  Delegates  to  the  pro- 
posed Convention,  yet  we  take  this  occasion  to  declare  our  sincere  affection  to  our  Breth- 
ren and  fellowship  with  them  in  the  Gospel,  and  our  readiness  at  all  times  to  unite  our 
counsels  and  endeavors  with  them  for  the  spreading  of  the  Gospel,  defending  the  liberties 
of  these  Churches,  for  cultivating  love  and  harmony  among  ourselves,  and  with  our 
friends  abroad,  and  for  promoting  the  kingdom  of  our  common  Redeemer." 

"  Voted,  That  the  aforesaid  l'astors  of  the  town  of  Boston  with,"  &.c.  "  be  a  Com- 
mittee to  make  a  respectful  answer  to  the  aforesaid  letter,  and  also  to  maintain  a  friendly 
correspondence  with  our  Brethren  aforesaid  ;  said  Committee  to  make  a  report  at  our 
next  meeting." 

Voted,  "That  (the  aforesaid  Committee)  be  desired  in  the  name  of  the  Convention,  to 
write  to  the  Committee  of  Deputation  of  Dissenters  in  England,  to  thank  them  for  the 
concern  they  have  expressed  for  our  religious  liberties  ;  and  to  desire  that  they  would  give 
us  their  assistance,  and  use  their  influence  for  the  preservation  of  the  same,  and  in  par- 
ticular, that  a  Bishop  may  not  be  sent  among  us." 


19 

the  Convention,  and  after  some  debate  and  consultation  upon 
the  contents  of  it,  the  Convention  adjourned  to  3  o'clock,  P.  M. 
Concluded  with  prayer. 

3  o'clock,  P.  M. :  met  according  to  adjournment,  and  opened 
with  prayer. 

After  some  particular  conference  upon  the  plan  of  union  drawn 
up  in  Nov.  last,  it  was  agreed  by  this  Board  that  the  following 
addition  be  made  to  the  2d  Article,  viz.  :  immediately  after  the 
words,  "  or  over  any  other  Church  or  Pastor," — these  words, 
"nor  shall  any  counsel  or  advice  be  asked  or  given,  in  this  Gen- 
eral Convention,  relative  to  any  internal  debates  subsisting,  or 
that  may  subsist,  in  any  of  those  bodies." 

Voted,  That  letters  be  wrote  in  the  name  of  this  Convention, 
to  the  several  Rev.  Bodies  in  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire, 
and  Rhode  Island,  in  answer  to  those  received  from  them :  And 
that  Dr.  Alison  and  Mr.  Ewing  be  appointed  to  prepare  and  send 
a  letter  to  the  Convention  in  Boston  ;  Messrs.  Eells  and  Fish,  to 
our  Brethren  in  Rhode  Island  ;  and  Messrs.  Mc  Gregory  and 
Parsons,  to  our  Brethren  in  New  Hampshire. 

Voted,  That  the  following  gentlemen  be  appointed  as  Com- 
mittees, to  carry  on  an  epistolary  correspondence  with  our  friends 
in  Great  Britain,  particularly  with  Dennis  Derbert,  Esq.  and  Mr. 
Samuel  Smith,  merchant  in  London — with  our  Brethren  in  the 
Massachusetts,  &c.,  and  with  each  other,  viz. :  in  Pennsylvania — 
the  Rev.  Dr  Francis  Alison,  Messrs.  Richard  Treat,  and  John 
Ewing  ;  in  New  York  and  New  Jersey — Messrs.  John  Rodgers, 
Joseph  Treat,  Alexander  Mc  Whorter,  and  Benjamin  Hait ;  in 
Connecticut — Messrs.  Noah  Hobart,  James  Lockwood,  Naphtali 
Daggett,  Edward  Dorr,  and  Noah  Wells. 

Ordered  that  the  next  meeting  of  the  General  Convention  be 
at  Elizabethtown,  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  October,  which  will  be 
in  the  year  1768,  unless  the  Chairman,  with  the  advice  of  the 
Committee  of  Correspondence,  shall  see  it  necessary  to  order  a 
meeting  sooner. 

The  Convention  concluded  with  prayer  by  the  Chairman. 

The  above  are  the  doings  of  the  Convention. 

A  true  copy  extracted  from  the  doings  of  the  Convention. 
Test,  Noah  Wells,  Scribe. 


20 

Notice  of  the  preceding  Convention  on  the  Printed  Minutes  of  the  Synod 
of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  18lh-20th  of  May,  1768,  p.  380. 

"The  Members  of  this  Synod,  appointed  to  meet  the  Convention  at  New 
Haven  last  year,  report,  that  many  of  them  did  meet  according  to  order,  and 
the  plan  laid  before  the  Synod  last  year  was  accepted  :  and  that  they  have 
appointed  another  Convention  tho  first  Wednesday  of  October,  at  Elizabeth, 
town." 

[Elere  follow  a  list  of  delegates.] 

"  The  Synod  do  order  Dr.  Alison  to  write  to  the  General  Association  of 
of  Consociated  Churches  in  Connecticut,  to  appoint  one  of  their  members  to 
open  with  a  sermon  at  Elizabethtown.  And  the  Synod  order  that  the  Minutes 
of  said  Convention  bo  laid  before  this  body  every  year." 


In  the  Minutes  of  the  General  Association  of  Connecticut  for  June,  1768> 
there  is  the  following  vote  : 

"  Voted,  That  Mr.  Dickinson,  who  is  appointed  a  Delegate  to  the  General 
Convention  at  Elizabethtown  in  October  next,  be  desired  to  preach  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  Convention  ;  and  in  case  of  his  failing,  Mr.  Williams,  another  of  our 
Delegates,  is  desired  to  attend  that  service." 

There  are  also  entries  of  a  concurrence  of  the  General  Association  with  the 
Synod  about  the  admission  of  members  to  the  Convention,  and  about  voting, 
which  will  appear  in  the  Minutes  of  the  next  Convention,  and  need  not  there- 
fore be  inserted  in  this  place.     See  next  page. 


CONVENTION  AT   ELIZABETHTOWN. 

Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey,  Oct.  5,  17G8. 

The  Rev.  General  Convention  of  Delegates  from  the  Conso- 
ciated Churches  of  Connecticut,  and  from  the  Synod  of  New 
York  and  Philadelphia,  met  according  to  adjournment.  Ubi  post 
preces  sederunt. 

Present  from  the  Synod,  Rev.  Messrs.  William  Tennent, 
Wheeler  Case,  William  Mills,  John  Rodgers,  Thomas  Lewis, 
Timothy  Jones,  Joseph  Treat,  James  Caldwell,  William  Kirk- 


21 

patrick,  John  Blair,  Robert  Smith,  Joseph  Montgomery,  Richard 
Treat,  Andrew  Hunter,  John  Evving,  Solomon  Mead,  John  Close, 
John  Brainerd,  Jacob  Green. 

From  Connecticut,  Rev.  Messrs.  EInathan  Whitman,  Elipha- 
let  Williams,  Nathaniel  Whitakcr,  Mark  Leavenworth,  Warham 
Williams,  Enoch  Huntington,  John  Smalley,  Joseph  Bellamy,  and 
Moses  Mather. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  EInathan  Whitman  was  chosen  Chairman,  and 
the  Rev.  Messrs.  John  Ewing  and  Enoch  Huntington  were  cho- 
sen Scribes. 

The  Convention  was  opened  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Eliphalet  Wil- 
liams, by  a  sermon  from  Psalm  cxxii.  the  4  last  verses. 

Ordered  that  the  Minutes  of  the  last  General  Convention  be 
read.  A  minute  of  the  General  Association  was  brought  in  and 
read,  which  is  as  follows  : 

"  Whereas  some  dispute  arose  in  the  last  General  Convention 
concerning  the  admission  of  members  to  vote  in  said  Convention; 
and  whereas  we  understand  that  the  Rev.  Synod  of  New  York 
and  Philadelphia  in  order  to  put  an  end  to  that  dispute  for  time 
to  come,  did  at  their  last  meeting  agree  that  though  any  gentle- 
man who  shall  think  proper  may  be  freely  permitted  to  be  pres- 
ent in  Convention,  yet  none  but  the  Delegates  shall  be  allowed 
to  vote  in  said  Convention :  this  Association  heartily  concurs  with 
the  above  limitation,  and  moreover  give  it  as  our  opinion  and 
advice  that  none  but  the  Delegates  be  permitted  publicly  to  de- 
bate any  case  before  the  Convention,  unless  particularly  request- 
ed so  to  do.  And  it  is  further  declared  as  the  opinion  and  advice 
of  this  body,  that  it  is  not  expedient  for  the  future,  that  any  of 
our  Associations  delegate  more  than  two  members  to  the  Gene- 
ral Convention." 

"  Finally,  we  think  it  may  be  advisable  that  in  a  future  Gene- 
ral Convention,  nothing  be  an  act  of  said  Convention,  considered 
as  the  voice  of  the  united  body,  but  what  has  the  major  vote  of 
the  respective  members  that  shall  be  present,  both  from  the 
Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  and  from  the  Consociated 
Pastors  in  Connecticut." 


22 

A  letter  from  the  Association  of  the  Western  District  of  the 
County  of  New  London,  giving  reasons  for  their  declining  to 
send  delegates,  and  moving  that  an  annual  correspondence  by 
letters  between  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  and 
the  General  Association  be  substituted,  instead  of  the  Annual 
Convention,  was  brought  in  and  read. 

Ordered,  That  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Ewing,  Smalley,  and  Blair 
be  a  Committee  to  prepare  a  draught  of  a  letter  to  the  Deputies 
for  managing  the  affairs  of  Dissenters  in  England,  in  order  to 
open  a  correspondence  with  them  ;  and  lay  it  before  the  Con- 
vention to-morrow  morning. 

Adjourned  till  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning.  Concluded  with 
prayer. 

6th  day :  at  8  o'clock,  A.  M.  the  Convention  met.  Ubi  post 
preces  sederunt  qui  supra — together  with  the  Rev  Mr.  Robert 
Ross,  of  Stratfield  in  Connecticut. 

Ordered  that  the  minutes  of  the  last  sederunt  be  read. 

The  Committee  appointed  last  night  to  prepare  a  draught  of 
a  letter  to  the  Dissenting  Committee  in  England,  brought  in  one, 
which  being  read  and  corrected,  was  approved,  and  is  as  fol- 
lows, viz. : 

"  Gentlemen, 

"  The  Pastors  of  the  Consociated  Churches  of  Connecticut  have  agreed  with 
the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  to  meet  annually  by  Delegates  in 
Convention  on  the  most  catholic  foundation  ;  to  give  information  of  the  public 
state  of  our  united  interests  ;  to  join  our  counsels  and  endeavors  together  for 
spreading  and  preserving  the  civil  and  religious  liberties  of  our  Churches;  to 
recommend,  cultivate,  and  preserve  loyalty  and  allegianco  to  the  King's  Majes- 
ty, and  to  keep  up  a  correspondence  through  this  united  body  and  with  our 
friends  abroad.  This  we  have  apprehended  to  be  our  duty,  especially  in  our 
present  circumstances,  not  only  that  we  might  strengthen  our  interest  in  sup. 
pressing  and  discouraging  any  measures  that  might  bo  fallen  upon  by  the  peo- 
ple committed  to  our  care,  that  would  be  inconsistent  with  our  character  as 
peaceable  and  loyal  subjects,  or  detrimental  to  the  public  peaco  and  tranquillity, 
but  also  that  we  might  as  faithful  officers  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  watch  over 
her  rights  and  privileges,  to  endeavor  more  effectually  to  prevent  any  attempts 
of  any  other  denomination  of  Christians  to  oppose  us.  Tho  late  attempts  of 
the  Episcopal  Clergy  among  us  to  introduce  an  American  Episcopate,  have 
given  a  very  general  alarm  to  our  Churches,  who  fled  from  the  unmerciful 
rigor  and  persecution  of  Diocesan  Bishops  in  our  mother  country  to  settle  in 


23 

an  uncultivated  wilderness ;  tho  recollection  of  the  cruelties  and  hardships 
which  our  fathers  suffered  before  this  peaceful  retreat  was  opened  for  them, 
fills  our  minds  with  an  utter  abhorrence  of  every  species  of  ecclesiastical  ty. 
ranny  and  persecution.  And  therefore  we  would  guard  with  special  care  against 
admitting  any  just  suspicion  that  we  would  suffer  that  to  take  place  among 
ourselves  which  we  so  much  condemn  in  others.  We  oppose  not,  therefore, 
the  introduction  of  Diocesan  Bishops  into  America  from  any  apprehension  that 
wo  have  any  exclusive  privilege  above  others,  or  from  any  right  we  have  to 
endeavor  to  prevent  them  from  enjoying  the  same  liberties  with  any  other  de- 
nomination of  Christians  in  tho  Colonies.  We  oppose  the  scheme  from  very 
different  motives  and  principles.  Our  fears  would  not  be  so  much  alarmed 
could  any  rational  method  be  devised  for  sending  over  Bishops  among  us 
stripped  of  every  degree  of  civil  power,  and  confined  in  the  exercise  of  their 
ecclesiastical  functions  to  their  own  societies  :  and  could  we  have  sufficient 
security  that  the  British  Parliament,  that  could  send  them  over  to  us  thus 
limited,  to  gain  a  peaceable  settlement  here,  would  never  be  induced  by  their 
complaints  for  the  want  of  power  to  enlarge  it  at  some  future  period.  But  it 
is  very  evident  it  is  not  that  harmless  and  inoffensive  Bishop  which  is  designed 
for  us,  or  the  missionaries  among  us  request ;  and  therefore,  we  cannot  but  be 
apprehensive  of  danger  from  the  proposed  Episcopate,  however  plausible  the 
scheme  may  be  represented.  We  well  know  the  jealousy  of  the  Bishops  in 
England  concerning  their  own  power  and  dignity,  suffering  by  their  example 
of  such  a  mutilated  Bishop  in  America,  and  we  also  know  the  force  of  a  British 
act  of  Parliament ;  and  have  great  reason  to  dread  the  establishment  of  British 
courts  among  us.  Should  they  claim  the  rights  of  holding  these  courts,  and 
of  exercising  the  power  belonging  to  their  office,  by  the  common  law  of  Eng- 
land, (which  is  esteemed  the  birth-right  of  a  British  subject,)  we  could  have 
no  counterbalance  to  this  enormous  power  in  our  Colonies,  where  we  have  no 
nobility,  or  proper  courts,  to  check  the  dangerous  exertions  of  their  authority  • 
and  where  our  governors  and  judges  may  be  the  needy  dependents  of  a  prime 
minister,  and  therefore  afraid  to  disoblige  a  person  who  is  sure  to  be  supported 
by  the  whole  Bench  of  Bishops  in  England  ;  so  that  our  civil  liberties  appear 
to  us  to  be  in  imminent  danger  from  such  an  establishment.  Besides,  nothing 
seems  to  have  such  a  direct  tendency  to  weaken  the  dependence  of  the  Colonies 
upon  Great  Britain  and  to  separate  them  from  her  ;  an  event  which  would  be 
ruinous  and  destructive  to  both,  and  which  we,  therefore,  pray  God  long  to 
avert.  And  we  have  abundant  reason  to  believe  that  such  would  bo  the  jeal- 
ousies and  uneasiness  of  all  other  denominations  of  Christians  among  us  that 
we  cannot  but  tremble  at  the  prospect  of  the  dreadful  consequences  that  could 
not  be  prevented  from  taking  place  upon  the  establishment  of  an  American 
Episcopate.  We  havo  so  long  tasted  the  sweets  of  civil  and  religious  liberty, 
that  we  cannot  be  easily  prevailed  upon  to  submit  to  a  yoke  of  bondage  which 
neither  wo  nor  our  fathers  were  able  to  bear." 

"  Besides  all  this  we  can  assure  you  that  the  Episcopal  Provinces  of  Mary- 
land and  Virginia  do  not  appear  to  desire  Bishops  among  them ;  it  is  only  tho 
request  of  a  few  discontented   missionaries  in  the  Middle  Colonies  ;  the  laity 


24 

of  their  communion,  (a  few  high  officers  excepted,)  dread  the  power  of  a  Bish- 
op's court  as  much  as  any  other  denomination,  and  have  a  high  sense  of  liberty, 
civil  and  religious.  It,  therefore,  appears  to  us  highly  unreasonable  to  gratify 
these  persons  in  a  matter  that  is  manifestly  dangerous  to  the  rights  and  privi- 
leges of  so  many  of  his  Majesty's  most  dutiful  loyal  subjects.  These  are  some 
of  the  many  reasons  which  we  have  for  our  opposition  to  the  proposed  Episco- 
cate,  and  the  views  by  which  we  are  actuated  in  this  matter." 

"  We  have  reason  to  believe  from  the  best  intelligence  we  can  get  in  this 
matter,  both  on  your  and  our  side  of  the  Atlantic,  that  although  the  design  of 
sending  over  Bishops  to  America  may  be  laid  aside  for  the  present,  yet  the 
Bishops  in  England  have  the  matter  much  at  heart,  and  are  daily  watching  a 
favorable  opportunity  of  carrying  it  into  execution,  which  is  further  confirmed 
by  the  large  appropriations  of  lands  and  money  both  here  and  elsewhere,  for 
the  support  of  them  in  all  their  pomp  and  splendor.  It  therefore  appears  to  us 
our  duty  to  be  constantly  on  our  guard  ;  but  as  our  distance  from  the  throne 
and  Parliament  renders  us  unable  to  do  any  thing  to  prevent  it,  until  it  be  too 
late,  we  are  obliged  to  depend  on  the  vigilance  and  interest  of  our  friends  in 
Great  Britain  who  are  engaged  in  the  same  common  cause  with  ourselves. 
Permit  us,  therefore,  Gentlemen,  to  request  the  favor  of  you  to  unite  your 
vigilance  and  endeavors  with  ours  :  and  to  open  and  continue  a  correspond- 
ence with  us ;  and  to  transmit  to  us  from  time  to  time  the  earliest  intelligence 
you  can  get  relative  to  this  or  any  other  matter  which  you  may  judge  either 
necessary  or  advantageous  for  us  to  know  ;  and  direct  your  letters  to  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Alison  and  Rev.  Mr.  Ewing  in  Philadelphia,  to  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Rodgers 
and  Treat  in  New  York,  and  to  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Whitman  and  Wells  in  Con- 
necticut." 

Mr.  Rodgers  is  requested  to  transmit  a  copy  of  this  letter  to  our 
Brethren  in  Rhode  Island,  Massachusetts,  and  New  Hampshire. 

Adjourned  till  3  o'clock,  P.  M.     Concluded  with  prayer. 

3  o'clock,  P.  M.  met  according  to  adjournment,  and  P.  P.  S. 
Q.  S.  The  Rev.  Messrs.  Ross,  Wells,  Whitman,  Smalley,  and 
Lockwood  are  appointed  a  Committee  to  carry  on  epistolary 
correspondence  with  our  friends  in  London,  with  our  Brethren 
in  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  and  New  Hampshire,  and  with 
the  Presbytery  of  Boston  :  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Rodgers,  Treat,  and 
Caldwell  a  similar  Committee  in  the  Province  of  New  York  and 
New  Jersey,  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Alison,  with  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Treat  and  Ewing,  for  Pennsylvania. 

Adjourned  till  Thursday,  the  14th  day  of  Sept.  next,  which 
will  be  in  the  year  17C9,  to  meet  at  New  Haven,  Connecticut. 
Concluded  with  prayer. 

Test,  Enoch  Huntington,  Scribe. 


25 

Printed  Minutes  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  May  17,  18, 
1769,  page  392. 

M  The  Delegates  appointed  to  meet  the  Rev.  General  Convention  at  Eliza- 
bethtown  last  October,  laid  before  the  Synod  the  Minutes  of  the  Convention 
agreeable  to  a  standing  order  for  that  purpose." 

Delegates  are  appointed  to  the  Convention  at  New  Haven,  and  "  Dr.  With, 
erspoon  is  appointed  to  open  the  Convention,  or  in  case  of  his  absence,  Dr. 
Rodders." 


In  the   brief  Records  of  the  General   Association  of  Connecticut,  for  1769, 
nothing  is  said  about  the  General  Convention. 


CONVENTION  AT  NEW  HAVEN. 

New  Haven,  Connecticut,  Sept.  14,  1769. 

The  Rev.  General  Convention  of  Delegates  from  the  Conso- 
ciated  Churches  of  Connecticut,  and  from  the  Synod  of  New 
York  and  Philadelphia,  met  according  to  adjournment.  Ubi  post 
preces  sederunt. 

From  the  Churches  in  Connecticut,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Nathaniel 
Taylor,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Edward  Dorr,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Joseph  Perry, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Lockwood,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Elijah  Lathrop, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Jedediah  Mills,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Noah  Whetmore,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Benjamin  Woodbridge,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Nicholas  Street, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Jonathan  Ingersol,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Sherwood. 

From  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Richard  Treat,  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Craighead,  the  Rev.  Mr.  James 
Sproat,  the  Rev.  Mr.  William  Tennent,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Rodgers, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  James  Caldwell,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Solomon  Mead. 

Dr.  Rodgers  opened  the  Convention  by  a  sermon,  from  Acts 
xi.  24. 

Mr.  Richard  Treat  was  chosen  Chairman,  and  Mr.  Dorr  and 
Mr.  Caldwell,  Scribes. 

Voted,  that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Rodgers,  of  New  York,  and  the  Rev. 
Noah  Wells,  of  Stamford,  be  standing  Registers,  appointed  by 

4 


26 

this  Convention,  to  receive  all  papers  belonging  to  them,  and  to 
transmit  to  all  future  Conventions  the  Minutes  of  the  preceding 
ones. 

On  looking  over  the  Minutes  of  the  last  Convention  it  appears 
that  there  was  a  letter  agreed  upon  to  be  sent  to  the  Committee 
of  Dissenters  in  London,  requesting  their  kind  interposition  in 
favor  of  these  Churches,  and  this  Convention,  apprehending  their 
letter  has  unhappily  miscarried,  desire  the  Rev.  Dr.  Rodgers 
to  take  a  copy  of  the  same  and  sign  it  as  our  Register,  and 
transmit  it  to  the  Committee  of  Dissenters  in  London  according 
to  the  desire  of  the  last  Convention. 

Voted,  That  the  Rev.  James  Sproat  be  added  to  the  Com- 
mittee of  correspondence  in  Philadelphia,  and  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Rodgers,  and  the  Rev.  Joseph  Treat  be  a  Committee  in  New 
York,  that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Witherspoon,  and  the  Rev.  William 
Tennent  be  a  Committee  in  New  Jersey,  and  that  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Noah  Wells  and  Moses  Mather  be  a  Committee  in  Con- 
necticut, and  that  the  Committee  in  Connecticut  correspond  with 
the  ministers  of  Boston  and  New  Hampshire  ;  the  Committee  at 
New  York  with  the  ministers  of  Rhode  Island  and  South  Caro- 
lina ;  the  Committee  in  New  Jersey  with  the  ministers  of  Scot- 
land ;  and  the  Committee  at  Philadelphia  with  the  ministers  in 
England  and  Ireland. 

Adjourned  till  the  first  Wednesday  in  October,  at  11  o'clock, 
which  will  be  in  the  year  1770,  to  meet  at  Elizabethtown  in  New 
Jersey. 

Concluded  with  prayer. 

Printed  Minutes  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  May  16-21, 
1770,  p.  406. 

"  The  Delegates  appointed  to  meet  the  Rev.  General  Convention  at  New- 
Haven  in  September  last,  laid  before  the  Synod  the  Minutes  of  the  Conven- 
tion." 

[A  list  of  delegates  to  the  next  Convention  follows.] 


Records  of  the  General  Association  of  Connecticut,  for  1770. 

u  The  Rev.  Mr.  Lockwood,  of  Wethersfield,  is  appointed  to  preach  the  ser- 
mon in  the  public  Convention  at  Elizabethtown,  and  in  case  of  his  failure, 
Mr.  Ross." 


27 


CONVENTION  AT  ELIZABETHTOWN. 

Elizabkthtown,  Oct.  3,  1770. 

The  Rev.  General  Convention  of  the  Delegates  from  the  Sy- 
nod of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  and  from  the  Consociated 
Churches  of  Connecticut,  met  according  to  adjournment.  Post 
preces  sederunt.  From  Connecticut,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Nathan- 
iel Taylor,  Noah  Benedict,  Stephen  Hawley  ;  from  the  Synod, 
the  Rev.  Messrs.  John  Blair,  Charles  Beaty,  Alexander  McWhor- 
ter,  James  Caldwell,  Azariah  Horton. 

The  General  Convention  was  opened  with  a  sermon  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Taylor,  from  Ezek.  xlvii.  9 — 11. 

Mr.  Taylor  was  chosen  Chairman,  and  Mr.  McWhorter  and 
Mr.  Hawley  were  chosen  Scribes.  Adjourned  till  to-morrow 
morning,  9  o'clock.     Concluded  with  prayer. 

Oct.  4.     Met  according  to  adjournment.    P.  P.  S.  Q.  S. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Robert  Ross  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  William  Ten- 
nent,  Jun.,  from  Connecticut,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Ewing,  Dr. 
Witherspoon,  William  Tennent,  Sen'r.,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Halsey,  and 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Beaty  from  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Phila- 
delphia, are  now  come. 

Ordered  that  the  Minutes  of  the  last  sederunt  be  read. 

Ordered  that  the  Minutes  of  the  last  Convention  be  read. 

It  was  inquired  whether  Dr.  Rodgers  had  complied  with  the 
appointment  of  the  last  General  Convention  at  New  Haven :  to 
transmit  a  letter  from  them  to  the  Committee  of  Dissenters  in 
London.  And  we  are  informed  that  he  complied  with  the  said 
appointment ;  and  has  in  answer  a  letter  from  said  Committee, 
signed  by  Thomas  Cotton,  Secretary,  which  was  produced  and 
read,  and  is  as  follows,  &c* 

And  a  letter  of  the  same  tenor  and  date,  from  said  Committee, 
was  sent  to  the  Committee  of  the  General  Convention. 

Mr.  Beaty,  Mr.  Ewing,  and  Mr.  Benedict  are  appointed  a  Com- 
mittee to  prepare  an  answer  to  the  Committee  of  Dissenters  in 
London,  and  bring  it  in,  in  the  afternoon.     After  the  General 

*  This  letter  lias  not  been  found. 


28 

Convention  had  maturely  considered  the  expediency  of  having 
an  agent  in  London,  concluded  that  it  was  useful  and  important. 
And  it  is  recommended  to  all  the  members  of  the  Convention, 
and  in  particular  to  Dr.  Witherspoon,  Dr.  Rodgers,  Mr.  Wells. 
Mr.  Ewing,  Dr.  Alison,  and  Mr.  Beaty.  to  endeavor  to  find  out 
a  proper  person  in  London,  for  that  purpose,  to  propose  to  the 
next  General  Convention. 

It  being  represented  to  the  General  Convention,  that  the  de- 
sign and  importance  of  it  is  not  understood  by  many  ministers 
at  a  distance,  by  which  means,  it  is  not  so  extensive  as  it  might 
be.  and  is  necessary  to  its  greater  usefulness.  Wherefore  the 
General  Convention  request  the  Rev.  Dr.  Witherspoon,  as  he  is 
now  on  his  journey  to  the  eastward,  that  he  take  all  proper  op- 
portunities to  represent  to  our  Brethren  in  the  Massachusetts 
Bay,  New  Hampshire,  and  Rhode  Island,  the  utility  of  the  Con- 
vention, and  the  importance  of  their  uniting  with  us.  And  it  is 
ordered  that  he  be  furnished  with  a  copy  of  the  plan  of  the  Gen- 
eral Convention  by  the  Scribes.  The  Rev.  Messrs.  John  Blair. 
Robert  Ross,  Nathaniel  Taylor,  and  James  Caldwell,  are  appoint- 
ed by  the  General  Convention,  to  wait  upon  the  General  Asso- 
ciation of  Connecticut,  which  is  to  meet  at  Reading  on  the  3d 
Tuesday  in  June  next — to  converse  with  said  Association  and 
endeavor  to  impress  upon  them  the  utility  of  continuing  the  Gen- 
eral Convention,  and  the  importance  of  a  punctual  attendance 
upon  it.  And  also  Mr.  Beaty  and  Mr.  Hawley  wait  upon  the 
Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  (which  is  to  meet  at  Phi- 
ladelphia the  third  Tuesday  of  May  next.)  for  the  same  purpose. 
And  Dr.  Bellamy  and  Mr.  Trumbull,  of  North  Haven,  are  re- 
quested to  join  these  gentlemen.  Adjourned  to  3  o'clock,  P.  M. 
Concluded  with  prayer. 

3  o'clock.  P.  31.  met  according  to  adjournment.  P.  P.  S.  Q.  S. 
Ordered  that  the  Minutes  of  the  last  sederunt  be  read. 

The  Committee  appointed  to  prepare  an  answer  to  the  Com- 
mittee of  Dissenters  in  London,  accordiimlv  brought  in  a  draught 
of  a  letter,  which  being  read,  corrected,  and  approved,  is  as 
follows.  &c* 

*  The  tettw  iko  bu  not  been  found. 


29 

Ordered,  that  the  letter  be  transcribed  and  signed  by  the  Chair- 
man, and  sent  with  a  duplicate  to  Dr.  Rodgers,  or  Dr.  Alison,  to 
be  transmitted  to  Jasper  Mauduit,  Esq.  in  Hackney,  near  Lon- 
don ;  or  to  Mr.  Thomas  Cotton,  attorney  at  Law  in  Hackney. 
Appointed  that  Mr.  Ilalsey,  Mr.  Caldwell,  and  Mr.  McWhorter, 
be  a  Committee,  to  write  to  gentlemen  in  Maryland,  Virginia, 
Georgia,  and  the  Carolinas,  in  order  that  they  may  obtain  all  the 
instances  of  Episcopal  oppressions  they  can  in  said  Colonies,  and 
prepare  them  to  be  laid  before  the  next  General  Convention. 
Mr.  Hobart  of  Fairfield,  Mr.  Chairman,  and  Mr.  Ross  are  desired 
to  collect  the  instances  of  the  lenity  of  their  government  with 
regard  to  the  Episcopal  Dissenters  therein.  And  the  Committee 
of  Connecticut,  viz.  Mr.  Wells  and  Mr.  Mather,  are  desired  to 
write  to  such  ministers  in  the  eastward  governments,  as  they 
may  think  proper,  to  obtain  instances  of  the  same  nature. 

Adjourned  to  the  first  Wednesday  in  Sept.  1771,  at  10  o'clock, 
to  meet  at  Norwalk.     Concluded  with  prayer. 

A  true  copy  of  the  Minutes  of  the  General  Convention  met 
at  Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey,  Oct.  3,  1770. 

Test,  Stephen  Hawley,  Scribe. 


Printed  Minutes  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  for  May  15 — 
20th,  1771,  page  416. 

"  The  Delegates  appointed  to  meet  the  Rev.  General  Convention  at  Eliza- 
bethtown in  Oct.  last,  brought  in  the  Minutes  of  their  proceedings,  which  were 
read." 

Delegates  to  the  next  Convention  were  appointed. 


Records  of  the  General  Association  of  Connecticut,  for  June,  1771. 

"  The  Rev.  Messrs.  Taylor  and  Ross  according  to  the  appointment  of  the 
last  General  Convention,  laid  before  this  body  the  importance  of  punctually 
attending  every  General  Convention,  particularly  the  next  at  Norwalk  ;  and  'tis 
hereby  earnestly  recommended  to  the  Delegates  now  chosen  that  they  do 
attend. '' 


30 


CONVENTION  AT  NORWALK. 

Norwalk,  Sept.  4th,  1771. 

The  Rev.  the  General  Convention  of  the  Delegates  from  the 
several  Associations  in  Connecticut,  and  of  the  Rev.  Synod  of 
New  York  and  Philadelphia,  met  according  to  adjournment. 
Ubi  P.  P.  Sedt. :  From  the  Association  of  the  Western  District 
of  Fairfield,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Moses  Dickinson  and  the  Rev.  Mr. 
William  Tennent ;  from  the  Eastern  District  of  Fairfield,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Robert  Ross  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Nathaniel  Bartlett ; 
from  the  Association  of  Litchfield,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Nathaniel  Tay- 
lor and  the  Rev.  Judah  Champion  ;  from  the  North  Association 
of  Hartford  County,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Theodore  Hinsdale  ;  from  the 
Association  of  New  Haven  County,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Elizur  Good- 
rich and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Amos  Fowler. 

From  the  Synod,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  Alison,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
John  Rodgers,  Rev.  Mr.  Joseph  Montgomery,  Rev.  Mr.  John 
Close,  Rev.  Mr.  Jedediah  Chapman,  Rev.  Mr.  John  Woodhull, 
Rev.  Mr.  Charles  Beaty,  Rev.  Mr.  James  Sproat,  Rev.  Mr.  James 
Caldwell,  Rev.  Mr.  Solomon  Mead,  Rev.  Mr.  William  Mills. 

The  Convention  was  opened  with  a  sermon,  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Joseph  Montgomery,  from  Ps.  ii.  6. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Rodgers  was  chosen  Chairman. 

The  Rev.  Messrs.  Caldwell  and  Champion  were  chosen 
Scribes. 

Dr.  Alison  reports,  that  he  had  received  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Thomas  Cotton,  Secretary  to  the  Committee  of  Dissenters  in 
London,  in  answer  to  the  letter  sent  by  the  Convention  last  year, 
which  is  not  present,  but  that  the  substance  of  it  was, — that  the 
Committee  did  not  know  of  any  particular  attempts  making  on 
their  side  of  the  water  to  introduce  an  American  Episcopate,  at 
present ;  they  would  however  carefully  observe  the  motions  of 
the  friends  of  that  scheme,  and  they  desired  us  to  do  the  same 
on  this  side,  and  communicate  to  them  whatever  attempts  are 
making  here. 


31 

The  appointment  of  an  agent  in  London,  which  was  referred 
from  the  last  Convention,  was  now  considered,  and  after  mature 
deliberation  it  was  unanimously  determined  for  the  present  no* 
to  appoint  an  agent,  but  to  continue  our  correspondence  with  the 
Committee  of  Dissenters  as  before. 

And  Dr.  Alison  and  Mr.  Dickinson  are  desired  to  bring  in  the 
draught  of  a  letter  to  the  said  Committee. 

Adjourned  till  to-morrow  morning,  8  o'clock.  Concluded  with 
prayer. 

5th  day :  8  o'clock,  the  Convention  met  according  to  adjourn- 
ment. P.  P.  S.  Q.  S.  Also  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Brainerd  and 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Jeremiah  Halsey  from  the  Synod  of  New  York  and 
Philadelphia  are  now  come. 

Ordered  to  read  the  minutes  of  the  last  sederunt. 

It  is  now  reported  to  this  Convention  that  Dr.  Witherspoon 
complied  with  the  appointment  of  last  year  in  representing  to  the 
ministers  in  Boston  the  necessity  of  extending  this  Convention, 
but  we  are  not  yet  fully  informed  what  success  he  met  with. 

Mr.  Ross  and  Mr.  Taylor  report,  that  they  waited  upon  the 
General  Association,  agreeable  to  the  appointment  of  last  year, 
and  were  favorably  received. 

Mr.  Beaty  also  fulfilled  his  appointment  to  the  Synod,  and 
was  also  received  in  like  manner. 

Mr.  Wells,  one  of  the  standing  Registers  for  this  Convention, 
is  desired  to  lay  the  Minutes  of  the  several  meetings  of  this  Gen- 
eral Convention  before  the  General  Association  of  this  Colony  of 
Connecticut  at  their  next  meeting,  and  afterwards  from  year  to 
year,  if  desired. 

The  Committee  appointed  last  year  to  collect  instances  of  op- 
pression or  lenity  with  respect  to  religious  denominations  in  the 
several  governments,  appear  to  have  taken  considerable  pains  to 
answer  the  ends  of  their  appointment,  and  related  many  instan- 
ces and  facts  to  this  purpose.  But  as  the  good  intention  of  the 
Convention  in  this  affair  is  not  yet  completed,  and  inasmuch  as 
it  would  be  of  great  advantage  to  this  Convention,  and  the  com- 
mon interests  of  mankind  to  be  acquainted  with  the  religious 
constitutions  of  the  several  governments  on  this  continent — we 
do  appoint  for  that  purpose,  for  the  colony  of  Nova  Scotia,  the 


32 

Rev.  Dr.  Alison  ;  for  the  colony  of  New  Hampshire,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  William  Tennent,  of  Norvvalk  ;  for  the  colony  of  Massachu- 
setts, the  Rev.  Mr.  Noah  Wells  ;  for  the  colony  of  Rhode  Island, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Robert  Ross  ;  for  the  colony  of  Connecticut,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Elizur  Goodrich  ;  for  the  province  of  New  York,  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Rodgers  ;  for  the  province  of  New  Jersey,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  John  Brainerd  ;  for  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  James  Sproat ;  for  the  government  of  New  Castle  and  pro- 
vince of  Maryland,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Joseph  Montgomery  ;  for  the 
dominion  of  Virginia,  the  Rev.  Mr.  James  Caldwell ;  for  the 
province  of  North  Carolina,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jeremiah  Halsey ;  for 
the  province  of  Georgia,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Alexander  Mc  Whorter : 
who  are  desired  respectively  to  obtain  the  Charters,  Laws,  and 
Statutes  of  those  Colonies,  and  to  extract  from  them  whatever 
respects  ecclesiastical  affairs  ;  also  the  usages  and  customs  of 
those  Colonies,  by  which  the  religious  liberties  of  any  denomina- 
tion have  been,  or  now  are,  either  enlarged  or  abridged,  and  lay 
the  result  of  their  inquiry  before  our  next  Convention. 

And  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Maltby,  of  South  Carolina,  who  is 
present,  is  desired  to  collect  materials  agreeable  to  the  above 
resolution,  from  the  Charter,  Laws,  and  usages  of  that  province, 
and  transmit  the  same  to  Dr.  Alison  in  Philadelphia,  by  him  to 
be  prepared  for,  and  laid  before  the  next  Convention. 

Dr.  Alison  brought  in  the  draught  of  a  letter  to  the  Commit- 
tee of  Dissenters  in  London,  which  being  read,  was  approved, 
and  the  Chairman  is  desired  to  sign  two  copies,  of  which  he  is 
to  send  one,  and  Dr.  Alison  the  other,  to  Jasper  Mauduit,  Esq., 
near  London.     The  letter  is  as  follows  : 

"  Norwalk,  in  Connecticut,  5  Sept.  1771. 
"Sir, 

"  We  are  informed  that  a  letter  in  answer  to  ours  of  the  3d  of  Oct.  1770, 
by  favor  of  Mr.  Cotton,  came  to  Dr.  Alison,  who  entrusted  the  care  of  it  to  a 
person  who  has  neglected  to  lay  it  before  this  Convention,  and  that  you  therein 
promised  to  have  a  watchful  care  of  our  liberties,  and  to  give  us  timely  notice 
if  attempts  were  still  continued  to  establish  Diocesan  Episcopacy  in  the  Colonies; 
and  as  you  desired  us  to  give  you  the  earliest  intelligence  of  any  attempts  that 
might  be  made  in  the  Colonies  for  this  purpose,  with  the  sincerest  gratitude  we 
acknowledge  your  friendship,  and  beg  leave  to  inform  you  that  we  are  still 
greatly  alarmed.  The  whole  Bench  of  Bishops,  and  many  bigots  with  you  are 
constantly  teased  by  our  missionaries  to  procure  an  American  Episcopate. 


33 

M  The  late  Arch-Bishop  Seeker,  if  we  remember  right,  promised  that  if  any 
province  petitioned  for  a  Bishop,  it  would  be  granted  ;  and  great  pains  have 
been  taken  to  engage  the  clergy  in  Virginia  and  Maryland  to  petition  for  this 
favor.  That  some  of  the  clergy  in  Virginia  formed  petitions  for  a  Bishop,  and 
that  four  out  of  twelve  that  were  convened  at  that  time  protested  against  the 
measure,  must  be  facts  now  well  known  in  London,  as  the  debates  on  this  sub- 
ject among  the  Episcopal  clergy  themselves  were  high,  and  are  printed  in  the 
public  papers  in  Williamsburgh  and  Philadelphia  ;*  two  of  the  protestors  are 
professors  in  the  College  of  William  and  Mary,t  and  the  house  of  Burgesses  in 
that  colony,  nemine  contradicente,  publicly  voted  their  thanks  to  the  protestors 
for  making  this  seasonable  stand  for  liberty.  What  the  issue  of  this  affair  may 
be  in  the  province  is  hard  to  determine,  but  we  are  informed  that  Mr.  Horrax, 
a  clergyman,  is  sent  to  England  with  these  petitions,  and  the  people  of  the 
colony  are  greatly  alarmed  lest  he  be  sent  back  to  them  as  their  Bishop. 

"  The  petitioning  clergy  affirm  in  the  course  of  their  public  debates  with  their 
brethren,  that  all  opposition  among  the  Dissenters  has  ceased,  and  that  the 
people  of  New  England,  of  all  others  are  now  most  anxious  to  have  a. Bishop 
established  among  them,  than  which  assertion  nothing  can  be  more  false,  unless 
they  mean  by  the  people  of  New  England,  the  missionaries  and  a  few  of  their 
waim  adherents.  So  far  from  this,  that  from  the  best  information  we  can  col- 
lect, the  colonies  of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  have  given  instructions  to 
their  agents  to  oppose  an  American  Episcopate,  the  certainty  of  which  you  may 
easily  learn. 

"  A  petition  was  likewise  presented  by  eight  of  the  clergy  of  Maryland  to 
their  Governor,  requesting  his  interest,  both  in  England  and  his  own  colony  for 
establishing  an  Episcopate  ;  and  they  inform  his  Excellency  that  they  have  pre- 
pared petitions  for  the  throne,  the  Arch-Bishop  of  Canterbury,  Lord  Baltimore, 
and  the  Bishop  of  London  for  the  same  purpose.  The  petition  to  the  Governor 
is  something  extraordinary  ;  a  copy  of  which  we  will  send  you,  and  copies  of 
the  other  petitions,  if  we  can  procure  them.  The  Governor  refused  to  admit 
the  petition  as  an  act  of  the  whole  clergy  of  Maryland,  and  told  them  that  as  an 
American  Episcopate  must  be  attended  with  many  and  very  important  conse- 
quences, he  would  lay  it  before  the  House  of  Representatives,  which  greatly 
mortified  them,  as  they  had  mentioned  that  body  in  it  with  some  disrespect. 
A  circular  letter  was  sent  by  the  petitioners  to  the  other  clergy  of  the  province 
to  obtain  their  permission  to  put  their  names  to  the  petitions  to  be  sent  to  Eng- 
land, which  was  obtained  from  a  great  number  without  knowing  all  that  was 
in  the  petitions  ;  but  ten  of  them  laid  a  remonstrance  before  the  Governor  com- 
plaining of  this  conduct.  But  notwithstanding  that  neither  the  Governor  nor 
Assembly  have  given  their  approbation,  it  is  said  the  petitions  are  sent  home. 

«  Philadelphia  Gazette,  August  8,  1771. 

t  These  professors  were  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Gwatkin  and  Henly.  "  They  both  protested 
against  an  American  Episcopate  in  the  Ecclesiastical  Convention  of  Virginia  in  1771, 
and  afterwards  the  former  published  a  pamphlet  with  the  same  view,  under  the  follow- 
ing title  :  A  Letter  to  the  Clergy  of  jYao  York  and  Philadelphia,  occasioned  by  an  Ad- 
dress  to  the  Episcopalians  in  Virginia.  By  the  Rev.  Thomas  Gwatkin,  Professor  of 
Mathematics  and  Natural  Philosophy  in  William  and  Mary  College.  Williamsburgh, 
1772.  pp.  28."— Miller's  Memoirs  of  the  Rev.  John  Rodgers,  D.  D. 


34 

From  this  account  you  may  clearly  see  the  great  industry  of  these  gentlemen, 
and  much  more  we  have  reason  to  suspect  is  done  by  them,  in  the  other  provin- 
ces, which  has  not  so  fully  come  to  our  knowledge  ;  but  from  a  disagreement 
among  themselves,  what  wo  now  write  you  has  become  matter  of  public  noto- 
riety. We  now  stand  in  need,  if  ever,  of  the  assistance  of  all  our  friends  to  use 
their  utmost  skill  and  interest  to  avert  this  impending  blow  that  so  surely 
threatens  our  civil  and  religious  liberties,  and  which  if  not  prevented,  must 
again  inflame  all  our  colonies,  that  have  so  lately  regained  the  blessings  of 
peace. 

"  We  would  by  no  means  be  understood  as  if  we  would  endeavor  to  prevent 
an  American  Bishop,  or  Arch-Bishop,  or  Patriarch,  or  whatever  else  they  would 
see  fit  to  send,  provided  other  denominations  could  be  safe  from  their  severity 
and  encroachments  ;  but  this  we  think  impossible  :  for  no  act  of  Parliament 
can  secure  us  from  the  tyranny  of  their  jurisdiction,  as  an  act  of  Parliament 
may,  and  no  doubt  will  be  repealed  at  the  importunate  solicitations  of  the  Bish- 
ops and  others  ;  nor  can  we  have  any  security  against  being  obliged,  in  time, 
to  support  their  dignity,  and  to  pay  taxes  to  relieve  the  Society  in  paying  their 
missionaries  ;  and  the  Governors  of  our  several  colonies  must  either  be  sub- 
missive in  all  things  to  their  will  and  pleasure,  or  be  harassed  and  persecuted 
with  continual  complaints  to  all  in  power  on  your  side  of  the  water.  In  a 
word,  we  think  Ecclesiastics  vested  with  such  powers  dangerous  to  our  civil 
and  religious  liberties  ;  and  it  seems  highly  probable  that  it  will  in  time  break 
that  strong  connection  which  now  happily  subsists  between  Great  Britain  and 
her  colonies,  who  are  never  like  to  shake  off  their  dependence  on  the  mother 
country  until  they  have  Bishops  established  among  them. 

"  As  we  shall  always  acknowledge  that  we  are  under  the  greatest  obligations 
to  you  for  your  friendship  in  this  important  affair,  and  earnestly  desire  the  con- 
tinuance of  your  correspondence,  please  direct  any  intelligence  you  may  think 
proper  to  transmit  to  us,  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  Alison  in  Philadelphia,  or  to 
the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Rodgers  in  New  York,  or  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Elnathan  Whit- 
man, Connecticut. 

"  Signed  in  the  name  and  by  order  of  the  General  Convention,  by 

"  John  Rodgers,  Chairman." 

"  P.  S.  We  have  with  pleasure  observed  that  some  of  our  friends  on  your 
side  of  the  water  have  made  some  just  remarks,  in  the  London  Chronicle,  on 
the  Bishop  of  Oxford's  sermon  before  the  Society  last  February.  They  highly 
merit  the  thanks  of  the  American  colonies,  and  as  we  esteem  ourselves  indebted 
to  your  friendship  for  this  favor,  we  beg  you  will  be  pleased  to  present  our 
thanks  to  the  person  or  persons  that  did  so  much  justice  to  our  cause. 

"  To  Jasper  Mauduit,  Esq.,  Chairman  of  the  Dissenting  Committee — to  be 
communicated." 

Adjourned  to  meet  at  Elizabethtown,  the  last  "Wednesday  but 
one  in  September,  1772,  at  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 
Concluded  with  prayer. 


35 

The  Printed  Minutes  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  May  20, 
21st,  1772,  pp.  426-7,  mention  that  "the  Minutes  of  the  last  General  Conven- 
tion were  laid  before  the  Synod,"  and  read,  and  that  certain  members  of  Synod 
were  appointed  to  attend  the  next  Convention. 


Extracts  from  the  Records  of  the  General  Association  of  Connecticut,  for 
June,  1772. 

"  Instructions  to  the  Delegates  of  the  several  Associations  to  attend  the  next 
General  Convention  to  meet  at  Elizabethtown  the  last  Wednesday  but  one  in 
September,  1772. 

"  Rev.  Brethren, 

"  Whereas  some  of  the  clergy  of  the  Church  of  England  have  shewed 
great  assiduity  in  soliciting  an  American  Episcopate,  and  petitions  (as  we  are 
informed)  have  been  preferred  to  his  Majesty,  the  Arch-Bishop  of  Canterbury, 
&c,  by  Messrs.  Cooper  and  Horrax,  requesting  the  same,  we  inform  you  that 
'tis  the  advice  of  this  Association  that  you  heartily  concur  with  the  Southern 
gentlemen  in  counteracting  any  motions  that  have  or  shall  be  made  for  said 
Episcopate,  in  such  manner  as  may  seem  most  convenient  in  said  Convention." 

"  Voted,  That  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clark,  who  is  appointed  delegate  to  the  next 
General  Convention  at  Elizabethtown,  be  desired  to  open  said  Convention  with 
a  sermon  ;  and  in  case  of  his  failing,  Mr.  Cotton  M.  Smith,  another  of  our  del- 
egates, is  desired  to  perform  that  service." 

"  Voted,  To  desire  the  Rev.  Noah  Wells,  standing  Register  of  the  General 
Convention,  annually  to  lay  before  this  Board,  the  doings  of  said  Convention." 


CONVENTION  AT  ELIZABETHTOWN. 

Elizabethtown,  Sept.  23,  1772. 
The  General  Convention  met  according  to  adjournment.  Ubi 
post  preces,  present  from  Connecticut,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Noah 
Wells,  Samuel  Clark,  Cotton  Mather  Smith,  Noah  Williston, 
Thomas  W.  Bray,  Hezekiah  Ripley,  Asahel  Hart,  Ebenezer 
Baldwin  ;  from  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  the 
Rev.  Messrs.  Joseph  Montgomery,  William  Foster,  James  Sproat, 
John  Brainerd,  William  Tennent,  Dr.  Alison,  Dr.  Witherspoon, 
John  Ewing,  Jeremiah   Halsey,  Dr.  Rodgers,  Alexander  Mc 


36 

Whorter,  James  Caldwell,  Joseph  Treat,  William  Mills,  John 
Close.  Mr.  Clark  opened  the  Convention  by  a  sermon,  from 
2  Cor.  iv.  1. 

The  Rev.  C.  M.  Smith  was  chosen  Chairman,  and  Mr.  Ewing 
and  Mr.  Baldwin  were  chosen  Scribes. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Wells  informed  the  Convention,  that  agreeable 
to  the  instructions  of  the  last  session,  he  sent  to  the  General  As- 
sociation of  the  colony  of  Connecticut,  the  Records  of  this  Gen- 
eral Convention,  which  was  well  approved  by  the  General  Asso- 
ciation, who  also  desired  that  the  proceedings  of  this  Convention 
be  from  year  to  year  laid  before  them. 

Dr.  Alison  produced  the  letter  from  the  Deputation  of  the  Dis- 
senters in  England,  which  was  referred  to  in  the  Minutes  of  the 
last  sessions  ;  which  letter  is  ordered  to  be  recorded  in  the 
Appendix  to  the  Minutes  of  the  Convention.* 

Dr.  Alison  laid  before  the  Convention  another  letter  from  the 
Committee  of  Deputation  of  Dissenters  in  England,  in  answer  to 
the  letter  of  this  Convention,  dated  Sept.  5,  1771,  to  Jasper 
Mauduit,  Esq.,  which  is  as  follows  : 

"  Rev.  Sirs, 

"  Your  letter  of  the  15th  of  Nov.  last,  directed  to  our  late  worthy  Chair- 
man, Jasper  Mauduit,  Esq.,  now  deceased,  and  therein  enclosing  one  from  the 
General  Convention,  dated  5th  of  Sept.  last,  was  delivered  to  our  Secretary, 
Mr.  Cotton  ;  who  laid  it  before  our  Committee,  and  they  have  referred  it  to  us 
to  return  you  an  answer  thereto,  which  we  embrace  the  first  opportunity  of 
doing. 

"  We  are  not  ignorant,  and  are  sorry  that  you  have  any  reason  to  be  alarmed 
from  the  restlessness  of  the  missionaries  and  their  bigoted  adherents,  but  hope 
you  will  depend  upon  the  constant  attention  of  our  Committee  to  your  interest 
to  prevent,  as  much  as  in  us  lies,  a  Bishop  from  being  sent  over  to  you.  And 
we  do  verily  believe,  that  if  Mr.  Horrax  comes  over  with  such  a  view,  he  will 
go  over  without  his  errand,  for  we  can  with  pleasure  inform  you,  that  since  the 
receipt  of  your  last,  we  have  again  made  the  strictest  inquiry,  and  are  able  from 
undoubted  authority  to  assure  you,  that  though  petitions  have  been  presented, 
yet  we  do  not  believe  they  will  meet  with  any  success  ;  that  however  the  Bish- 
ops and  clergy  may  labor  the  point,  the  persons  in  power  do  not  seem  to  be  at 
all  for  it  at  present,  and  we  hope  never  will.  And  we  must  remind  you,  that 
in  our  last  we  desired  you,  if  you  found  any  petitions  were  handed  about  to  be 
signed,  you  would  send  over  counter  petitions,  signed  by  as  many  respectable 
persons  as  you  could,  which  we  think  you  should  do  as  soon  as  possible,  that 
they  may  be  made  use  of,  if  needful.     And  we  beg  you  would  rest  assured  of 

*  The  letter  is  wanting. 


37 

our  continued  endeavors  to  oppose  the  carrying  into  execution  such  a  design. 
We  have  sent  a  letter,  to  the  same  purport  as  this,  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Alison,  that 
they  may  be  communicated  by  you  or  him,  to  the  General  Convention.  And 
whenever  you  are  disposed  to  correspond  with  us,  be  pleased  to  direct  your 
letters  to  our  present  Chairman,  Thomas  Lucas,  Esq.,  at  Gray's  Hospital,  Lon- 
don. 

"  We  are,  with  great  esteem,  Rev.  Sir,  your  most  obedient  servants,  &c. 

«  13th  March,  1772." 

Dr.  Alison  produced  extracts  from  the  laws  of  Nova  Scotia, 
relative  to  religious  liberty,  agreeable  to  the  order  of  the  last 
Convention. 

Mr.  Wells  also  laid  before  the  Convention  similar  extracts 
from  the  laws  of  Massachusetts  Bay. 

The  Scribes  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Halsey,  are  appointed  to  pre- 
pare a  draught  of  a  letter  to  the  Committee  of  Deputation  of  the 
Dissenters  in  London,  and  to  bring  it  in  to-morrow  morning. 

Adjourned  to  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning.  Concluded  with 
prayer. 

Sept.  24 :  8  o'clock,  met  according  to  adjournment ;  post 
preces  sederunt  qui  supra,  except  Dr.  Witherspoon.  The  Min- 
utes of  the  last  sederunt  were  read.  Dr.  Rodgers  then  produced 
extracts  from  the  laws  of  New  York  ;  Mr.  Brainerd  from  the 
laws  of  New  Jersey ;  Mr.  Sproat  from  the  laws  of  Pennsylva- 
nia ;  and  Mr.  Caldwell  from  the  laws  of  Virginia,  respecting 
religious  liberty,  all  which  were  read. 

As  the  Convention  have  not  received  any  extracts  from  the 
Charters,  laws,  &c.  of  the  province  of  New  Hampshire,  the  col- 
onies of  Rhode  Island  and  Connecticut,  the  provinces  of  North 
and  South  Carolina,  Maryland  and  Georgia,  the  gentlemen  ap- 
pointed for  that  purpose  the  last  sessions  are  still  desired  to  pros- 
ecute that  business,  excepting  that  by  reason  of  Mr.  Tennent's 
removal,  Mr.  Baldwin  is  appointed  for  New  Hampshire,  and  by 
reason  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Maltby,  Mr.  Halsey  is  desired  to  make 
extracts  for  South  Carolina.  As  it  is  apprehended  that  the  ac- 
counts of  the  state  of  religious  liberty  in  the  various  colonies, 
may  be  made  more  complete,  if  longer  time  was  allowed  to  the 
ministers  who  have  drawn  them  up,  it  is  therefore  agreed,  that 
they  review,  and  make  such  alterations  and  additions  as  they 
shall  judge  necessary  to  answer  the  design  of  this  Convention, 
and  have   them  in  readiness  for  their  inspection  at  their  next. 


38 

sessions.  And  it  is  particularly  recommended  to  them,  to  ascer- 
tain the  number  of  the  inhabitants  in  each  of  the  colonies,  with 
the  proportion  of  the  Episcopalians  to  the  Non-Episcopalians. 

The  draught  of  a  letter  to  the  Committee  of  Dissenters  in 
England  was  read,  and  after  amendments,  was  approved  by  the 
Convention,  and  is  as  follows : 

Gentlemen, 
Your  letter  of  the  13th  March  last,  directed  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  Alison, 
(a  duplicate  of  which  was  also  directed  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Rodgers,)  was  commu- 
nicated by  him  to  the  General  Convention,  now  sitting  at  Elizabethtown,  New 
Jersey. 

The  assurances  you  give  us  that  the  Episcopalians  are  not  likely  to  succeed 
for  the  present,  in  their  applications  for  an  American  Episcopate,  afford  us  great 
satisfaction.  We  shall  depend  upon  the  constant  attention  of  your  Committee, 
to  prevent  as  far  as  lies  in  your  power,  the  establishment  of  Diocesan  Episco- 
pacy among  us  ;  and  we  shall  always  acknowledge  with  gratitude,  your  zeal 
for  the  cause  of  religious  liberty  on  this  extensive  continent.  We  have  abun- 
dant reason  to  believe,  that  the  bigoted  Episcopalians  on  this  side  the  water, 
have  by  no  means  dropt  the  project,  but  will  ever  be  restless  in  their  attempts 
to  accomplish  their  purpose,  till  they  either  obtain  their  design,  or  repeated  dis- 
appointments oblige  them  to  abandon  it :  though  it  has  not  come  to  our  knowl- 
edge, that  any  thing  new  of  this  kind  has  been  attempted  in  America  the  year 
past. 

In  your  last  you  advise  that  if  any  petitions  should  be  handed  about  to  be 
signed,  we  should  send  over  counter  petitions,  by  as  many  respectable  persons 
as  we  can,  which  you  think  ought  to  be  done  as  soon  as  possible.  But  the  late 
rejection  and  miscarriage  of  their  petition  to  the  throne,  (of  which  we  have 
lately  been  assured,)  happily  relieves  us  from  the  necessity  of  this  measure  for 
the  present.  We  must  beg  leave  to  suggest  to  you  that  we  cannot  but  think 
that  if  the  numbers  of  the  Non-Episcopalians  in  the  several  colonies  on  this 
continent,  and  their  vast  superiority  to  the  Episcopalians  in  this  respect  were 
better  known  in  Great  Britain,  than  perhaps  they  now  are,  it  might  be  of  very 
considerable  service  to  the  cause  of  religious  liberty  among  us.  We  are  sorry 
that  it  is  not  in  our  power  to  state  this  matter  accurately  at  present;  but  we  de- 
termine as  soon  as  possible,  to  furnish  ourselves  with  such  materials  as  shall 
enable  us  to  do  it  with  sufficient  exactness,  which  we  hope  to  accomplish  by 
our  next  Convention,  and  we  shall  take  care  to  communicate  to  you  the  result 
of  our  inquiries;  from  which  you  will  easily  see  what  credit  is  to  be  given  to 
the  magnified  accounts,  the  missionaries  frequently  send  home  of  the  numbers 
of  their  adherents. 

And  we  cannot  but  think  it  would  be  greatly  advantageous  to  the  common 
cause,  to  hold  up  to  the  view  of  the  public  our  numbers  and  importance  as 
often  as  there  shall  be  a  convenient  opportunity. 

If  the  intelligence  we  propose  to  send  you  should  be  communicated  to  the 
public  through  the  channel  of  some  of  your  newspapers  or  magazines,  which 


39 

circulate  farthest  through  the  kingdom,  we  presume  it  might  give  more  just 
ideas  of  the  true  state  of  things  on  this  continent,  that  it  is  probable  many  at 
present  have. 

You  have  writers  of  abilities  among  you,  and  we  cannot  doubt  their  readi- 
ness to  serve  so  important  a  cause  as  that  of  religious  liberty. 

If  some  of  them  would  undertake  to  lay  this  matter  before  the  public  on 
your  side  of  the  water,  they  will  merit  our  grateful  acknowledgments,  and  we 
shall  take  care  to  furnish  them  with  materials  that  may  be  depended  upon. 

Please  to  direct  your  letter  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  Alison  in  Philadelphia, 
or  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Rodgers  in  New  York. 

Signed  in  the  name  and  by  order  of  the  General  Convention. 

Cotton  Mather  Smith,  Chairman. 

Mr.  Wells  is  desired  to  obtain  intelligence  concerning  the 
number  of  the  Episcopalians  and  Non-Episcopalians  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Nova  Scotia. 

Adjourned  to  meet  at  Fairfield,  in  Connecticut,  on  the  first 
Wednesday  in  Sept.  1773,  at  11  o'clock  in  the  forenoon. 

Concluded  with  prayer. 

The  Printed  Minutes  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  for  May 
19-2lst,  1773,  p.  440,  mention  that  "  the  Minutes  of  the  last  General  Conven. 
tion  were  brought  by  Dr.  Rodgers,  their  stated  Register,  and  read,"  that 
delegates  were  appointed  to  the  next  Convention,  at  Stamford,  Conn.,  and  that 
Dr.  Wiiherspoon  was  appointed  to  open  the  Convention  with  a  sermon,  but  in 
case  he  should  fail,  that  Mr.  McWhorter  is  appointed  in  his  room. 


The  Records  of  the   General   Association  of  Connecticut,  for  1773,  do  not 
notice  the  General  Convention. 


CONVENTION  AT   STAMFORD. 

The  General  Convention  of  Delegates  from  the  Rev.  Associa- 
tions in  Connecticut,  and  from  the  Rev.  Synod  of  New  York 
and  Philadelphia,  met  according  to  the  time  of  adjournment, 
Sept.  1,  1773,  at  Stamford,  it  being  found  inconvenient  to  meet 
at  Fairfield,  as  appointed. 


40 

Post  preces  sederunt,  from  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Phi- 
ladelphia, the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Witherspoon,  Dr.  John  Rodgers, 
Messrs.  Elihu  Spencer,  Alexander  McWhorter,  James  Caldwell, 
Benjamin  Hait,  John  Close,  Ichabod  Lewis,  Jeremiah  Halsey, 
Samuel  Mills.  From  Connecticut,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Moses  Dick- 
inson, Jonathan  Lee,  Cotton  Mather  Smith,  Samuel  Lockwood, 
Robert  Robbins,  Robert  Ross,  Nathaniel  Bartlett,  Elizur  Good- 
rich, William  Russel,  Joseph  Strong,  and  Noah  Wells. 

Dr.  Witherspoon  opened  the  General  Convention  with  a  ser- 
mon, from  2  Cor.  iv.  13. 

Dr.  Witherspoon  was  chosen  Chairman,  and  Mr.  Russel  and 
Mr.  McWhorter,  Scribes. 

The  Registers  reported,  that  the  proceedings  of  last  year's 
General  Convention  at  Elizabethtown,  were  laid  before  the  Gen- 
eral Association  of  Connecticut,  and  before  the  Synod  of  New 
York  and  Philadelphia,  and  were  well  accepted. 

Dr.  Rodgers  and  the  two  Scribes  are  appointed  a  Committee 
to  prepare  a  draught  of  a  letter  to  the  Committee  of  Deputation 
of  Dissenters  in  England,  to  be  brought  in  next  sederunt. 

Proceeded  to  inquire  of  the  gentlemen  appointed  to  make  ex- 
tracts from  the  Charters,  Laws,  &c.  of  the  several  colonies  res- 
pecting the  state  of  religious  liberty  in  them,  and  finding  some 
progress  is  made  in  this  matter,  it  is  ordered  that  these  extracts 
be  laid  before  the  General  Convention  to-morrow  morning. 

Adjourned  to  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

Concluded  with  prayer. 

Sept.  2,  1773 :  8  o'clock,  A.  M.  P.  P.  S.  Q.  S.  Ordered 
that  the  Minutes  of  the  last  sederunt  be  read. 

Messrs.  James  Cogswell  and  Joseph  Huntington,  of  Connect- 
icut, are  now  come. 

According  to  the  agreement  of  last  year,  that  the  gentlemen 
who  had  made  extracts  from  the  Charters,  &c.  should  review 
them,  render  them  more  complete,  and  ascertain  the  proportion 
of  Episcopalians  to  Non-Episcopalians,  Dr.  Rodgers  laid  before 
us  extracts  from  the  laws  of  the  province  of  New  York ;  Mr. 
Goodrich  from  the  laws  of  Connecticut ;  Mr.  Wells  from  the 
laws  of  Massachusetts  Bay — and  with  respect  to  the  number  of 
Episcopalians  in  proportion  to  Non-Episcopalians,  Mr.  Wells, 
who  was  appointed  to  this  matter  in  Nova  Scotia,  has  not  been 


41 

able  to  accomplish  it,  and  requests  that  some  other  gentleman 
be  appointed  to  this  business  in  his  room  :  accordingly  Mr.  Hunt- 
ington is  desired  to  obtain  an  account  of  this  matter,  and  lay  it 
before  the  next  General  Convention. 

Mr.  Baldwin,  who  was  appointed  to  make  the  extracts  from 
the  laws  of  New  Hampshire,  has  not  yet  accomplished  it,  but 
proposes  to  do  it,  and  therefore  his  appointment  is  continued,  and 
he  is  requested  to  lay  his  extracts  before  our  next  Convention. 

Mr.  Ross,  who  was  appointed  for  Rhode  Island,  has  not  yet 
obtained  proper  materials  for  the  history  desired,  wherefore  his 
appointment  is  continued. 

Mr.  Sproat  and  Mr.  Montgomery,  who  were  appointed  for 
the  provinces  of  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  not  being  here,  we 
are  not  favored  with  the  extracts,  and  their  appointments  are 
continued. 

Mr.  Caldwell's  appointment  is  continued  to  make  additional 
extracts  from  Virginia. 

Mr.  Halsey,  who  was  appointed  for  North  and  South  Caro- 
lina, has  not  yet  accomplished  it,  and  his  appointment  is  con- 
tinued with  respect  to  North  Carolina  ;  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  William 
Tennent,  of  Charleston,  being  here  present,  is  desired  to  make 
extracts  from  the  laws  of  South  Carolina,  and  give  us  an  history 
of  the  progress  and  state  of  religious  liberty  in  that  colony,  and 
send  them  to  our  next  General  Convention. 

Mr.  Brainerd  sent  extracts  which  he  had  made  from  the  laws 
of  the  colony  of  New  Jersey  ;  and  Mr.  Spencer  is  desired  to 
complete  that  matter  according  to  the  design  of  the  Convention. 

Mr.  McWhorter  laid  before  us  extracts  from  the  laws  of 
Georgia. 

Dr.  Rodgers  is  requested  to  obtain  what  information  he  can 
respecting  the  state  of  religious  liberty  in  West  Florida. 

Dr.  Withcrspoon  is  desired  to  obtain  like  information  from 
Canada. 

The  several  gentlemen  who  are  appointed  to  this  business  are 
desired  to  proceed,  and  render  the  respective  extracts  and  his- 
tories as  perfect  as  possible,  to  be  laid  before  our  next  General 
Convention. 

6 


42 

The  Committee  appointed  to  bring  in  a  draught  of  a  letter  to 
the  Committee  of  Deputation  of  Dissenters  in  England,  brought 
one  in,  which  was  read,  corrected,  and  approved, — and  is  as 
follows  : 

Gentlemen, 

We  have  not  been  favored  with  an  answer  to  our  last  to  you  of  Sept.  27th, 
1772,  from  whence  we  conclude  that  it  may  probably  have  miscarried,  though 
it  was  followed  some  time  after  by  a  duplicate.  We  have  the  firmest  convic- 
tion in  your  friendship  and  attachment  to  the  cause  of  religious  liberty  on  this 
extensive  continent,  and  that  you  will  carefully  watch  the  motions  of  its  Epis- 
copal adversaries  on  your  and  our  side  of  the  water,  who,  we  have  the  great- 
est reason  to  think,  have  their  grand  object  of  an  American  Episcopate  still  in 
view,  notwithstanding  the  discouragements  they  have  met  with  respecting  its 
immediate  accomplishment.  They  wait  only  a  favorable  opportunity  of  renew- 
ing their  attempts,  and,  if  possible  effecting  their  design,  big  with  the  most 
fatal  mischiefs  to  this  growing  country. 

We  are  taking  all  possible  pains  to  ascertain  the  number  of  Episcopalians 
and  their  proportion  to  the  Non-Episcopalians  of  different  denominations  in 
the  several  colonies,  and  have  made  some  progress  in  it ;  but  wo  find  it  a  work 
of  no  small  labor  and  difficulty  to  do  it  with  proper  precision. 

Wo  find  it  by  a  paper  read  before  us  at  our  present  meeting,  that  the  Epis- 
copalians in  the  colony  of  New  York  bear  the  proportion  of  about  one  to 
twenty  of  its  present  inhabitants.  By  another  of  the  same  kind  respecting  the 
colony  of  Connecticut  it  appears  they  do  not  bear  a  greater  proportion  ; 
and  in  the  provinces  of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  their  proportionable 
numbers  are  less  ;  and  in  the  Massachusetts  government,  Rhode  Island,  and 
province  of  New  Hampshire,  they  are  much  less  still ;  and  in  the  Southern 
colonies  whero  Episcopacy  is  established,  viz. :  Maryland,  Virginia,  North  and 
South  Carolina,  and  Georgia,  the  Non. Episcopalians  are  in  some  of  them  a 
majority,  and  in  the  rest  a  largo  and  growing  proportion. 

We  are  pursuing  this  important  design,  and  promise  ourselves  the  pleasure 
of  effecting  it  with  a  greater  degree  of  accuracy  before  our  next  meeting, 
where  you  may  expect  to  hear  farther  from  us  on  this  subject. 

We  beg  leave  also  to  inform  you  that  wo  are  collecting  tho  state  of  religious 
liberty  in  the  several  colonies  on  this  continent,  and  its  progress  in  each  of 
them  from  their  first  settlement,  which  may  be  capablo  of  important  uses  in 
the  grand  struggle  wo  or  posterity  may  be  called  to  make  in  this  glorious  cause, 
in  which  the  happiness  of  thousands  yet  unborn  is  so  deeply  interested. 

Your  known  znal  against  the  unjust  encroachments  of  Episcopal  domination 
supersedes  the  necessity  of  our  repeating  our  requests  that  you  will  continue 
your  wontod  care  on  this   head. 

A  lino  from  you  will  be  estoomod  an  additional  favor  ;  and  which  be  pleased 
to  direct  to  tho  Rev.  Dr.  Alison  in  Philadelphia,  or  the  Rev.  Dr.  Rodgors  in 
New  York. 

Signed  in  the  name  and  by  order  of  the  General  Convention,  by 

John  Witherspoon,  Chairman. 


43 

The  next  meeting  of  the  General  Convention  is  appointed  to 
be  at  Elizabethtown,  the  third  Wednesday  of  September,  1774, 
at  3  o'clock,  P.  M. 

Concluded  with  prayer. 

From  the  Printed  Minutes  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  May 
18,  19th,  1774,  pp.  453-4,  it  appears  that  the  Minutes  of  the  last  General 
Convention  were  presented  and  read,  and  new  delegates  appointed. 


Minutes  of  the  General  Association  of  Connecticut,  June,  1774. 

*'  The  Rev.  Samuel  Lockwood  is  appointed  to  preach  the  sermon  at  the 
opening  of  the  next  General  Convention  at  Elizabethtown,  and  in  case  of  his 
failure,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Baldwin  is  appointed. 

"The  doings  of  the  last  General  Convention  were  read  before  this  Associa- 
tion, and  were  well  accepted." 


CONVENTION  AT  ELIZABETHTOWN. 

The  General  Convention  of  the  delegates  from  the  Consociated 
Churches  in  Connecticut,  and  from  the  Synod  of  New  York  and 
Philadelphia,  met  at  Elizabethtown,  Sept.  21,  1774. 

From  Connecticut  were  present,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Ebenezer 
Baldwin,  Thomas  Wells  Bray,  Samuel  Eells,  Theodore  Hins- 
dale, Nathaniel  Taylor,  Jeremiah  Day,  Samuel  Sherwood,  Wil- 
liam Mackey  Tennent.  From  the  Synod  of  New  York  and 
Philadelphia,  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  Alison,  Dr.  John  Rodgers,  Rev. 
Messrs.  William  Tennent,  James  Sproat,  Israel  Read,  Benjamin 
Hait,  Jeremiah  Halsey,  Alexander  McWhorter,  James  Caldwell, 
Jedediah  Chapman,  Joseph  Montgomery,  Patrick  Alison. 

The  General  Convention  was  opened  by  Mr.  Baldwin,  with  a 
sermon,  from  Matt,  xxiii.  8. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Sherwood  was  chosen  Chairman,  and  Mr.  Day 
and  Mr.  Alison  were  chosen  Scribes.     P.  P.  S.  Q.  S. 

Ordered  that  the  Minutes  of  the  last  Convention  be  read.    The 


44 

proceedings,  of  the  last  Convention  were  laid  before  the  General 
Association  and  Synod,  and  were  well  accepted. 

Adjourned  till  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

Met  according  to  adjournment.  P.  P.  S.  Q,  S.  Ordered  that 
the  Minutes  of  the  last  session  be  read. 

The  Convention  proceeded  to  review  the  appointments  made 
last  year  to  obtain  the  knowledge  of  religious  liberty  in  the  sev- 
eral American  colonies,  &c.  Received  some  satisfactory  reports 
in  consequence  thereof,  particularly  from  Mr.  Huntington,  res- 
pecting Nova  Scotia,  and  Mr.  Wells,  respecting  Massachusetts 
Bay,  whose  diligence  and  accurate  investigation  are  highly  com- 
mendable. Mr.  Baldwin  is  desired  to  pursue  his  inquiries  rela- 
ting to  the  province  of  New  Hampshire.  And  Mr.  Halsey  is 
desired  to  write  Mr.  Mc  Clintock,  soliciting  his  endeavors  to  fur- 
nish and  obtain  full  information  on  the  same  subject,  and  trans- 
mit it  to  the  next  Convention.  The  respective  appointments  of 
Mr.  Ross  and  Mr.  Sproat  are  renewed.  Mr.  Montgomery  re- 
ports that  he  has  made  some  progress  in  collecting  materials 
concerning  the  rise  and  progress  of  religious  liberty,  and  ascer- 
taining the  proportion  of  Dissenters  to  the  members  of  the 
established  Church  in  Maryland.  His  appointment  is  continued, 
only  Mr.  Alison  is  desired  to  fix  the  proportion  between  the 
classes  of  people  on  the  western  shore  of  that  province.  Mr. 
Caldwell's  appointment  is  continued.  Mr.  Halsey  delivered  a 
valuable  detail  concerning  the  first  settlement  of  North  Carolina, 
and  of  the  ecclesiastical  circumstances  of  the  province,  in  its 
different  periods  until  this  time.  Messrs.  Caldwell  and  Alison 
are  requested  to  write  to  such  acquaintance  as  they  may  judge 
proper  in  the  maritime  counties  of  North  Carolina,  for  a  more 
accurate  account  of  the  condition  of  those  counties  according  to 
the  view  of  the  Convention.  Dr.  Rodgers  is  desired  to  write 
Mr.  Tennent,  of  Charleston,  concerning  the  business  committed 
to  him,  and  quickening  his  performance  of  it.  The  Doctor  is 
further  to  beg  Mr.  Tennent  will  address  some  capable  person  in 
Georgia,  requesting  of  him  the  state  of  that  province,  and  trans- 
mit the  result  of  his  inquiries  to  us.  Dr.  Rodgers  reports  that 
from  certain  information,  it  appears  there  is  yet  no  ecclesiastical 
constitution  fixed  there,  nor  any  laws  enacted  affecting  religious 
liberty  in  West  Florida. 


45 

The  gentlemen  appointed  last  year  to  furnish  materials  res- 
pecting the  Jerseys  having  made  no  report  to  the  Convention, 
Mr.  McWhorter  is  desired  to  undertake  and  accomplish  the 
matter. 

Dr.  Rodgers  reports  that  he  has  been  prosecuting  his  investi- 
gations relating  to  the  province  of  New  York,  and  expects  to 
have  them  accomplished  for  the  inspection  of  the  next  Conven- 
tion. 

Adjourned  till  3  o'clock,  P.  M.     Concluded  with  prayer. 

The  Convention  met  at  3  o'clock,  P.  M.,  according  adjourn- 
ment. P.  P.  S.  Q.  S.  Ordered  that  the  Minutes  of  the  last 
session  be  read.  Mr.  Goodrich  having  complied  in  part  with 
his  appointment,  it  is  continued,  and  Mr.  Bray  is  desired  to  in- 
form him,  that  the  Convention  hope  he  will  be  able  to  finish 
the  business  committed  to  him  before  the  next  meeting.  Dr. 
Rodgers  brought  in  a  paper  handed  to  him  by  a  friend,  contain- 
ing an  abstract  of  the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  Barbadoes,  with 
some  remarks  thereon. 

It  is  agreed  that  a  particular  history  of  the  several  Colleges  on 
the  continent,  should  accompany  the  accounts  drawn  up  respect- 
ing the  provinces  in  which  they  are  erected. 

The  Convention  having  received  no  answer  from  the  Com- 
mittee of  Dissenters  in  England,  to  the  letters  sent  there  the  two 
preceding  years,  it  is  judged  inexpedient  to  write  them  at  this 
time. 

Adjourned  to  Greenfield,  in  Connecticut,  on  the  first  Wednes- 
day in  Sept.  1775. 

Concluded  with  prayer. 

Printed  Minutes  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  for  May  17 — 
19,  1775,  p.  464. 

"  The  Minutes  of  the  last  General  Convention  were"  presented,  new  dele- 
gates  were  appointed,  and  "  Mr.  Joseph  Treat  was  appointed  to  open  the  Con- 
vention  with  a  sermon,  and  in  case  of  Mr.  Treat's  absence,  Mr.  Hait  was  ap- 
pointed to  preach  the  sermon." 


In  the  recorded  Minutes  of  the  General  Association  of  Connecticut,  in  June, 
1775,  there  is  no  notice  of  the  doings  of  the  General  Convention  the  preceding 
yoar,  nor  reference  to  the  then  succeeding  meeting  the  same  year. 


46 


CONVENTION  AT  GREENFIELD. 

The  Convention  of  delegates  from  the  Consociated  Churches 
of  Connecticut,  and  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia, 
met  at  Greenfield,  in  Connecticut,  Sept.  0,  1775,  according  to 
adjournment.     Present, 

From  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  Rev.  Messrs. 
Samuel  Mills,  Ichabod  Lewis. 

From  Connecticut,  Rev.  Dr.  Wells,  Messrs.  William  Mackey 
Tennent,  Samuel  Lockwood,  Daniel  Brinsmade,  Joseph  Hunt- 
ington, Joseph  Strong,  Robert  Ross,  Theodore  Hinsdale,  Ebene- 
zer  Baldwin. 

The  Convention  was  opened  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lockwood,  with 
a  sermon,  from  Jer.  xiii.  16. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Mills  was  chosen  Chairman,  and  Messrs.  Bald- 
win and  Lewis,  Scribes. 

The  session  was  opened  with  prayer  by  the  Chairman. 

The  Minutes  of  the  last  Convention  were  ordered  to  be  read. 
The  Convention  proceeded  to  make  inquiry  concerning  the  ap- 
pointments made  and  continued,  the  last  Convention,  to  gain 
information  respecting  the  progress  and  present  state  of  religious 
liberty  in  the  several  colonies. 

A  full  and  accurate  account  respecting  the  colony  of  Connect- 
icut, was  received  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Goodrich  ;  also  an  account 
of  the  numbers  of  Episcopalians  and  Non-Episcopalians  in  that 
colony,  sufficiently  exact  to  answer  the  purposes  of  this  Conven- 
tion. The  body  are  well  pleased  with,  and  thankfully  notice  the 
accuracy  and  diligence  of  Mr.  Goodrich  in  this  matter  :  however, 
if  Mr.  Goodrich  should  ever  be  able  to  complete  his  account  of 
the  numbers  for  the  remaining  towns,  with  the  same  accuracy  he 
has  those  of  which  he  has  sent  a  particular  account,  it  is  desired 
he  would  send  them  to  be  added  to  the  amount  already  received. 

Adjourned  to  8  o'clock  to-morrow  morning,  to  meet  at  Mr. 
Tennent's.     Concluded  with  prayer. 

Sept.  7 :  met  according  to  adjournment.  U.  P.  P.  S.  Q.  S. 
The  Minutes  of  the  last  session  were  read.     The  appointment 


47 

of  Mr.  Halsey  and  Mr.  Baldwin  for  the  province  of  New  Hamp- 
shire is  continued,  and  Mr.  Huntington  is  joined  with  them. 

Mr.  Ross  acquainted  this  body  that  he  had  applied  to  Dr. 
Stiles,  of  Newport,  for  materials  respecting  Rhode  Island — that 
he  had  received  intelligence  from  the  Doctor,  that  he  had  made 
considerable  progress  in  his  collection,  but  by  reason  of  sickness 
and  other  difficulties,  had  been  unable  to  complete  it. 

Mr.  Ross'  appointment  is  continued,  and  he  is  desired  to  ac- 
quaint Dr.  Stiles,  that  this  body  thankfully  notice  his  assiduity  in 
this  matter,  and  desire  he  would  perfect  as  soon  as  he  conven- 
iently can,  the  collection  he  has  begun.  Mr.  Sproat's  appoint- 
ment for  Pennsylvania  is  continued,  and  Mr.  Duffield  is  joined 
with  him. 

Whereas  no  returns  have  been  made  from  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Montgomery,  Caldwell,  Alison,  Rodgers,  and  McWhorter,  their 
respective  appointments  are  continued  ;  and  they  are  desired  to 
render  their  accounts  as  complete  as  possible  by  the  next  Con- 
vention. The  Rev.  Dr.  Wells  is  desired  to  acquaint  the  above 
mentioned  gentlemen,  who  are  absent,  of  the  continuance  of  their 
appointments,  also  by  reason  of  the  critical  situation  New  York 
is  in  at  present,  to  request  of  Dr.  Rodgers,  that  he  would  trans- 
mit to  Dr.  Wells  the  several  papers  in  his  hands  belonging  to 
this  Convention. 

The  Convention  are  of  opinion  that  it  would  be  conducive  to 
their  general  design,  to  obtain,  in  addition  to  their  history  of  the 
rise  and  progress  of  religious  liberty  in  the  several  colonies,  ac- 
counts of  the  rise,  progress,  and  present  state  of  the  several  reli- 
gious sects  in  the  different  provinces  and  colonies. 

Accordingly  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wells  is  appointed  to  furnish  such 
an  account  of  the  Episcopalians  in  New  England  ;  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Huntington  of  the  Separatists  and  Separate  Baptists  also,  so  far 
as  their  histories  are  connected  together  ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ross  of 
the  Baptists  through  the  several  colonies  ;  Mr.  Baldwin  of  the 
Glassites  or  Sandemanians  ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Johnson,  of  Lyme,  of 
the  Rogcreens  ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hinsdale  of  the  Quakers  in  New 
England  ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Halsey  of  the  Quakers  to  the  southward 
of  New  England  ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Duffield  of  the  Moravians  ;  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Cooper  of  the  Menists  or  Menonists  ;  the  Rev.  Mr. 


48 

Robert  Smith,  of  Poquea,  of  the  Mountain  New-Covenanters  and 
Seceders  ;  the  Rev.  Dr.  Rodgers  of  the  Jews.  Appointments 
for  the  other  sects  are  deferred  to  the  next  Convention. 

The  Chairman  is  desired  to  notify  the  several  gentlemen  above 
mentioned,  who  are  not  present,  of  their  appointments. 

The  gentlemen  appointed  to  furnish  accounts  of  the  rise,  &c. 
of  religious  liberty  in  the  several  colonies,  are  desired  to  add  to 
their  accounts  the  state  of  the  several  Colleges  or  seminaries  of 
learning,  in  the  respective  colonies,  as  in  the  Minutes  of  the  last 
Convention. 

The  next  meeting  of  the  General  Convention  is  appointed  to 
be  at  Elizabethtown,  on  Wednesday,  the  19th  of  Sept.  1776. 

Concluded  with  prayer. 

Printed  Minutes  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  May  22,  1776, 
p.  473. 

"The  Minutes  of  the  last  Convention  were  brought  in  and  read.  The  Sy- 
nod considering  the  distracted  situation  of  our  public  affairs,  judge  that  an  at. 
tendance  on  the  Convention  by  any  of  their  members  the  ensuing  appointment 
will  bo  impracticable,  and  order  Dr.  Rodgers  to  inform  the  General  Association 
as  early  as  possible  thereof,  together  with  their  design  of  sending  members  to 
attend  at  the  place  appointed,  on  the  third  Wednesday  of  September,  1777." 


The  original  Minutes  of  the  General  Association  of  1776,  are  lost ;  and  it  is 
not  known  whether  any  report  of  the  General  Convention  of  1775  was  made 
to  the  Association  at  that  time. 


Printed  Minutes  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  May  21,  1777, 
pp.  477-8. 

"  The  Synod  are  of  opinion  that  they  cannot  send  any  members  to  meet  the 
General  Convention  on  the  third  Wednesday  of  September  next — and  order 
Mr.  Sproat  to  give  notice  thereof  to  the  General  Association  of  Connecticut ; 
and  that  tho  Synod  will  cheerfully  appoint  members  to  attend  said  Convention 
whenever  the  situation  of  public  affairs  will  admit  of  it." 

Note. — The  Revolutionary  War  continuing  until  1783,  and  resulting  in  the  separation 
of  the  Colonies  from  Great  Britain,  no  farther  Convention  was  held.  In  the  new  state 
of  things  the  British  Government  could  not  impose  Diocesan  Bishops  upon  the  Americans. 

The  friendships,  however,  contracted  between  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  Min- 
isters at  these  Conventions,  probably  led  to  the  correspondence  formed  some  years  after 
between  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  the  General  Association 
of  Connecticut ;  and  subsequently  between  the  General  Assembly  and  other  Ministerial 
and  Ecclesiastical  Bodies  in  the  Northern  States. 

If  any  of  the  missing  letters  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  pages,  or  any  of  the  numerous 
documents  like  those  which  follow  in  the  Appendix,  are  in  existence,  the  publisher  will 
be  greatly  obliged  to  any  friends  who  will  favor  him  with  copies  of  them,  or  merely  inform 
him  where  they  may  be  found. 


APPENDIX. 


[The  Extracts  and  Account  in  the  following  pages,  have  been 
copied  from  papers  which  have  remained  among  the  descend- 
ants of  Dr.  Goodrich,  and  which  are  in  his  hand  writing. 
The  Account  is  signed  by  him.] 


Extracts  from  the  Charter  and  Laws  of  the  Colony  of  Connecticut,  in  New 
England,  that  relate  to  Religion  and  Ecclesiastical  affairs. 

The  Charter  of  this  Colony  was  granted  by  King  CHARLES  the  Second, 
A.  D.  16G2,  with  ample  powers  and  privileges  of  legislation  and  government, 
and  the  enjoyment  of  all  liberties  and  immunities  of  free  and  natural  subjects. 
The  Governor  and  Company  are  empowered  to  ordain  and  establish  all  man- 
ner of  wholesome  and  reasonable  laws  for  regulating  all  the  affairs  of  the  Colo- 
ny ;  and  after  a  number  of  particulars  there  is  this  general  clause  respecting 
Religion  :  "  And  for  the  directing,  ruling,  and  disposing  all  other  matters  and 
things  whereby  our  said  people,  inhabitants  there,  may  be  so  religiously,  peacea. 
bly,  and  civilly  governed  as  their  good  life  and  orderly  conversation  ma}'  win 
and  invite  the  natives  of  the  country  to  the  knowledge  and  obedience  of  the 
only  true  God  and  Saviour  of  mankind,  which  in  our  ro}'al  intention,  and  the 
adventurers'  free  profession,  is  the  only  and  principal  end  of  this  plantation." 
This  declaration  of  King  Charles  in  the  Charter,  most  probably  hath  reference 
to  something  contained  in  the  petition  on  which  it  was  granted.  The  original 
settlement  of  the  New  England  colonies  was  much  owing  to  religious  zeal ; 
for  though  several  attempts  had  been  made  to  settle  this  land,  and  great  sums 
spent  for  that  purpose,  yet  all  proved  abortive  till  religion  was  the  grand  in- 
ducement, and  oppression  drove  multitudes  from  their  native  soil.  It  is  proba- 
ble, that  if  the  same  liberty  of  conscience  had  always  been  enjoyed  in  England, 
that  there  is  at  present, — if  corruption  and  arbitrary  power  had  not  usurped  the 
rights  of  mankind,  this  country  would  still  have  remained  a  wilderness.  If 
peace  and  purity,  truth  and  liberty  could  have  been  enjoyed  at  home,  the  ardu- 
ous undertaking  of  settling  this  country  would  have  wanted  many  of  great 
abilities  and  noble  fortunes,  who  for  the  sake  of  their  consciences  cheerfully 
engaged  and  went  through  the  amazing  horrors,  dangers,  and  inconveniences  of 
of  this  then  dreary  wilderness.  And  as  the  first  planters  came  almost  wholly 
upon  religious  views,  so  we  have  no  reason  to  think  but  that  they  were  sincerely 
desirous  of  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  natives,  and  indeed  from  the  history 
of  those  times  we  arc   assured  of  the  great  zeal  they  discovered  in  this  matter' 

7 


50 

and  of  the  pains  that  were  taken  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  among 
them,  that  they  might  with  truth  declare  that  the  advancement  of  the  Redeem- 
er's cause  and  interest  was  the  great  and  principal  end  of  the  plantation. 

The  same  zeal  and  engagedness  for  religion  appears  in  the  grants  of  the 
General  Court  for  the  making  of  towns  and  societies,  and  in  the  petitions  pre- 
ferred for  that  purpose  ;  hut  though  we  have  most  undoubted  cause  to  honor 
the  fathers  of  New  England,  and  in  particular  of  this  colony,  as  men  of  great 
integrity,  strict  probity,  and  sincere  piety,  yet  we  must  own  there  was  a  mixture 
of  superstition  in  their  religious  sentiments;  and  though  they  fled  their  native 
land  that  they  might  be  free  from  religious  oppression,  and  enjoy  a  worship 
agreeable  to  their  consciences,  yet  we  must*  lament  they  understood  the  nature 
and  extent  of  religious  liberty  no  better,  than  by  their  laws  and  oppression  of 
other  sects,  they  seemed  to  do  ;  we  must  indeed  impute  this  in  a  great  measure 
to  the  times  in  which  they  lived,  and  not  to  the  general  principles  they  pro- 
fessed, or  the  nature  of  that  church  policy  they  embraced.  The  general  princi- 
ples they  professed  were  truly  Protestant — that  the  only  rule  of  religion  is  the 
Holy  Scripture,  the  fixed,  sufficient  and  invariable  canon,  incapable  of  addition 
or  diminution  ;  and  that  every  one  must  see  to  it  that  his  faith  be  resolved  into 
this  foundation  as  the  reason  of  it ;  and  on  this  principle  they  framed  their 
platform  of  faith  and  worship,  as  in  their  view  most  agreeable  to  the  Scripture. 
The  faith  they  professed  was  in  general  the  same,  as  that  contained  in  the  doc- 
trinal Articles  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  afterwards  in  the  Assembly's  Cat- 
echisms and  Confession.  The  ecclesiastical  polity  they  adopted  was  what  is 
called  the  Congregational  u-ay.  Happy,  if  while  they  supported  and  maintained 
their  own  sentiments  and  worship,  they  had  granted  a  reasonable  and  equitable 
toleration  to  persons  of  different  persuasions;  but  though  this  was  not  granted 
at  first,  yet  the  principles  of  liberty  adopted  in  the  general  profession  of  these 
churches  led  to  it.  Here  the  Scripture  was  enjoyed,  and  holden  to  be  the  only 
sufficient  rule  ;  the  study  of  it  was  encouraged  ;  the  churches  were  so  consti- 
tuted that  the  members  enjoyed  peculiar  privileges,  and  especially  that  of 
choosing  their  own  ministers,  in  which  all  shared  who  were  obliged  to  contri- 
bute to  their  support.  This  naturally  leads  to  exercise  the  right  of  private 
judgment  in  matters  of  religion  ourselves,  and  to  see  that  the  same  should  be 
allowed  others  ;  nor  is  there  any  of  our  Christian  liberties  more  to  be  attended 
and  guarded  than  this  of  choosing  our  own  teachers.  Thus  the  principles  pro- 
fessed and  the  nature  of  ecclesiastical  policy  originally  adopted  had  a  friendly 
aspect  on  religious  liberty,  and  by  degrees  have  banished  whatever  might  be 
esteemed  injurious  and  oppressive  of  those  who  dissent  from  the  Established 
Churches,  as  we  shall  find  by  review  of  the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  this  colony. 

The  laws  of  this  colony  have  be°n  sundry  times  revised  and  published  by 
order  of  the  General  Assembly,  particularly  in  or  about  the  years  1672,  1702 
and  1750.  A  view  of  the  religious  and  ecclesiastical  laws  as  they  are  found  in 
these  several  editions,  with  the  variations  made  from  time  to  time,  will  give 
some  proper  knowledge  not  only  of  the  present  state  of  religious  liberty,  but  of 
the  progress  of  it  from  the  first  settlement  of  the  colony  to  this  day. 

The  laws  I  shall  mention  relate  to,  or  may  be  ranked  under  the  following 
titles  or  heads — of  Idolatry — Witchcraft — Blasphemy — Deism — Heresy — Pro- 


51 

fane  Swearing — Church  State— Public  Worship — Sabbath,  or  Lord's  Day — 
Ministers  and  their  Support. 

There  are  some  of  these  which  might  be  omitted,  as  having  but  little  concern 
in  the  present  inquiry  ;  and  yet  as  in  one  view  they  may  be  reduced  to  the 
head  of  religion,  I  shall  just  touch  upon  them,  nor  will  it  be  altogether  useless 
to  the  design  of  these  extracts,  as  thereby  we  may  have  a  more  full  view  of  the 
present  subject,  as  it  hath  been  treated  of  in  the  laws  of  this  colony. 

I.     Of  Idolatry. 

"  If  any  man  or  woman,  after  legal  conviction,  shall  have  or  worship  any 
other  God  but  the  Lord  God,  he  shall  be  put  to  death." 

II.  Of  Witchcraft. 

"  If  any  man  or  woman  be  a  witch,  that  is,  hath  or  consulteth  with  a  familiar 
spirit,  they  shall  be  put  to  death." 

These  laws  against  idolatry  and  witchcraft  are  found  in  the  same  words  in 
the  first  and  second  editions,  but  are  entirely  omitted  in  the  third. 

III.  Of  Blasphemy. 

"  If  any  person  within  this  colony  shall  blaspheme  the  name  of  God  the 
Father,  Son,  or  Holy  Ghost  with  direct,  express,  presumptuous,  and  high 
handed  blasphemy  ;  or  shall  curse  in  like  manner,  such  person  shall  be  put  to 
death." 

This  is  found  in  all  the  editions  of  the  laws,  and  is  now  in  force. 

IV.  Of  Deism. 

"  If  any  person  within  this  colony,  having  been  educated  in  or  having  made 
a  profession  of  the  Christian  religion,  shall  by  writing,  printing,  teaching  or  ad- 
vised speaking,  deny  the  Being  of  a  God,  or  any  one  of  the  Persons  in  the  Holy 
Trinity  to  be  God  ;  or  shall  assert  and  maintain  there  are  more  Gods  than  one, 
or  shall  deny  the  Christian  religion  to  be  true,  or  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testament  to  be  of  divine  authority,  and  be  thereof  convicted," 
&c.     Such  persons  to  be  incapable  of  any  office,  ecclesiastical,  civil  or  military. 

This  act  is  not  found  in  the  first  or  second,  but  only  in  the  third  edition  of 
the  laws,  and  is  still  in  force. 

V.  Of  Heresy. 

"  This  Court  being  sensible  of  the  danger  persons  are  in  of  being  poisoned 
in  their  judgments  and  principles  by  heretics,  whether  Quakers,  Ranters,  Adam- 
ites or  the  like,  do  see  cause  to  order  that  no  persons  in  this  colony  shall  give 
any  unnecessary  entertainment  unto  any  Quaker,  Ranter,  Adamite,  or  other 
notorious  heretic,  upon  penalty  of  five  pounds  for  every  such  person's  entertain- 
ment, to  be  paid  by  him  that  shall  so  entertain  them  ;  and  five  pounds  per 
week  shall  be  paid  by  each  town  that  shall  suffer  their  entertainment  aforesaid." 

The  Governor  and  Assistants  are  also  empowered  by  this  act  to  commit 
such  heretics  to  prison,  or  send  them  out  of  the  colony  :  No  person  allowed  any 
unnecessary  discourse  with  them  ;  and  their  books  forbidden  to  all  except 
magistrates  and  ministers. 

These  laws  are  the  same  in  the  first  and  second  editions,  but  in  the  acts  of 
the  General  Assembly  in  the  year  1706,  as  far  as  they  respect  Quakers  they  are 


52 

repealed  :  otherwise  I   rind  not  but  they  were  in  force  till  the   third  edition  of 
1750,  in  which  they  are  wholly  omitted. 

VI.     Of  Profane  Swearing  and  Cursing. 

An  act  against  Profane  Swearing  and  Cursing. 

"  Be  it  enacted,  <S.c,  That  if  any  person  within  this  colony,  shall  swear 
rashly,  vainly,  or  profanely,  either  by  the  holy  name  of  God,  or  any  other  oath  ; 
or  shall  sinfully  and  wickedly  curse  any  person  or  persons,  such  person  so  of- 
fending shall  upon  conviction  thereof  before  any  one  Assistant  or  Justice  of 
the  Peace,  forfeit  and  pay  for  every  such  offence  the  sum  of  six  shillings,"  &c, 
and  if  unable,  to  sit  in  the  stocks. 

VII.     Of  Persons  embodying  into  Church  State. 

"It  is  ordered  by  the  authority  of  this  Court,  that  no  persons  within  this 
colony  shall  in  any  wise  embody  themselves  into  church  estate  without  consent 
of  the  General  Court  and  approbation  of  neighbor  churches." 

This  law  is  found  in  the  first  and  second  editions,  and  as  I  find  no  legal 
repeal  of  it,  I  suppose  it  stood  in  force  till  the  laws  were  revised  and  published 
in  1750,  in  which  edition  it  is  wholly  omitted. 

VIII.     Of  Public  Worship. 

"  It  is  also  ordered  by  this  Court,  that  there  shall  be  no  ministry,  or  church 
administration  entertained  or  attended  by  the  inhabitants  of  any  plantation  in 
this  colony  distinct  and  separate  from  and  in  opposition  to  that  which  is  openly 
and  publicly  observed  and  dispensed  by  the  approved  minister  of  the  place,  ex- 
cept it  be  by  approbation  of  this  Court  and  neighbor  churches."  Penalty  five 
pounds. 

This  law  is  found  in  the  first  and  second  editions,  but  before  the  third  edi- 
tion, several  laws  intervened,  relative  to  this  matter. 

The  churches  originally  approved  were  those  of  the  Congregational  persua- 
sion, with  an  allowance  of  those  who  were  Presbyterially  inclined  in  their 
persuasion  and  profession  in  church  ways  or  assemblies  without  disturbance. 

Care  was  taken  that  the  ministry  of  the  word  should  be  established  in  every 
town  and  plantation  ;  and  wherever  it  was  established  and  approved,  every 
person  was  obliged  to  attend  respectively  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  such  other 
days  as  were  appointed  by  authority,  upon  certain  penalties  to  be  inflicted  by 
the  magistrate  :  and  all  contemptuous  behavior  toward  the  word  preached  or 
the  dispensers  of  it,  was  severely  punished. 

No  public  assemblies  for  religion  were  allowed  but  with  express  consent  of 
the  General  Court;  nor  do  I  find  any  thing  which  looks  like  an  act  of  tolera- 
tion till  the  year  1708,  being  the  7th  year  of  Queen  Anne,  when  the  General 
Assembly  passed  the  following  "  Act  for  the  ease  of  such  as  soberly  dissent 
from  the  way  of  worship  and  ministry  established  by  the  laws  of  this  govern- 
ment." 

"  It  is  enacted  and  ordained  by  the  Governor,  Council,  and  Representatives 
in  the  General  Court  assembled  and  by  the  authority  of  the  same,  for  the  ease 
of  such  as  soberly  dissent  from  the  way  of  worship  and  ministry  established  by 
the  ancient  laws  of  this  colony,  and  still  continuing,  that  if  any  such  persons 


53 

shall  at  the  county  court  of  that  county  they  belong  to,  qualify  themselves 
according  to  an  Act  made  in  the  first  year  of  the  late  King  William  and  Queen 
Mary,  granting  liberty  of  worshipping  God  in  a  way  separate  from  that  which 
is  by  law  established,  they  shall  enjoy  tho  same  liberty  and  privilege  within 
this  colony  without  any  let,  hindrance,  or  molestation  whatsoever." 

In  the  same  Act  it  is  provided,  that  this  allowance  or  toleration  shall  make 
no  alteration  in  respect  of  ministerial  support:  the  only  privilege  it  gives  to 
persons  who  qualify  themselves  as  above  is  public  allowance  of  worshipping 
God  in  a  way  agreeable  to  their  consciences,  though  different  from  the  estab- 
lished and  approved  ;  and  hence  in  subsequent  laws  such  assemblies  for  wor- 
ship are  said  to  be  allowed. 

The  same  year  the  General  Assembly  passed  the  following  act  entitled  "  An 
act  in  approbation  of  the  Agreement  of  the  Reverend  Elders  and  Messengers 
of  all  the  churches  in  this  government,  made  and  concluded  at  Saybrook,  1708. 

"  The  Reverend  Ministers  and  Delegates  from  the  Elders  and  Messengers  of  the 
Churches  in  this  Government,  met  at  Saybrook,  Sept.  the  ninth,  1708,  having 
presented  to  this  Assembly  a  Confession  of  Faith,  Heads  of  Agreement  and  Regu- 
lation in  the  administration  of  Church  Discipline,  as  unanimously  agreed  and 
consented  to  by  the  Elders  and  Messengers  of  all  the  Churches  in  this  Government. 

"This  Assembly  do  declare  their  great  approbation  of  such  agreement,  and 
do  ordain  that  all  the  churches  within  this  government,  that  are  or  shall  bo 
thus  united  in  doctrine,  worship  and  discipline,  be  and  for  the  future  shall  be 
owned  and  acknowledged  established  by  law. 

"  Provided  always  that  nothing  herein  shall  be  intended  or  construed  to 
hinder  or  prevent  any  society  or  church  that  is  or  shall  be  allowed  by  the  laws 
of  this  government,  who  soberly  differ  or  dissent  from  tho  united  churches 
hereby  established,  from  exercising  worship  and  discipline  in  their  own  way 
according  to  their  consciences." 

I  find  nothing  worthy  of  notice,  that  properly  comes  under  this  head  till 
the  year  1742,  when  the  General  Court  passed  an  Act  entitled  "An  act  for 
regulating  abuses  and  correcting  disorders  in  ecclesiastical  affairs."  I  shall 
recite  the  preamble  of  this  act,  though  lengthy,  and  give  an  abridgment  of  tho 
matters  contained  in  it. 

"  Whereas  this  Assembly  did  by  their  act  made  in  the  1th  year  of  the  reign  of 
her  late  Majesty  Queen  Anne,  establish  and  confirm  a  Confession  of  Faith,  and 
an  Agreement  of  ecclesiastical  discipline,  made  at  Saybrook,  A.  D.  1708,  by  the 
Rev.  Elders  and  the  Messengers  delegated  by  the  churches  in  this  colony  for  that 
purpose,  under  which  establishment  his  Majesty's  subjects  inhabiting  in  this  colony 
have  enjoyed  great  peace  and  quietness,  till  of  late  sundry  persons  have  been  guilty 
of  disorderly  and  irregular  practices  :  whereupon  the  Assembly  in  October  last 
did  direct  to  the  calling  a  General  Consociation  to  sit  at  Guilford  in  November  last, 
which  said  Consociation  was  convened  accordingly:  at  which  Convention  it  was 
endeavored  to  prevent  the  growing  disorders  among  the  ministers  that  have  been 
ordained  or  licensed  by  the  Associations  in  this  government,  and  likewise  to  prevent 
divisions  and  disorders  among  the  churches  and  ecclesiastical  societies  settled  by 
order  of  this  Assembly  :  notwithstanding  which  divers  of  the  ministers  ordained 
as  aforesaid,  and  others  licensed  to  preach  by  some  of  the  Associations  allowed  by 


54 

law  have  taken  upon  them  without  any  lawful  call  to  go  into  parishes  immcdi. 
ately  under  the  care  of  other  ministers,  and  there  to  preach  to  and  teach  the 
people ;  and  also  sundry  persons  some  of  whom  are  very  illiterate  and  have  no 
ecclesiastical  character  or  any  authority  whatsoever  to  preach  or  leach,  have  taken 
upon  them  publicly  to  teach  and  exhort  the  people  in  matters  of  religion  both  as 
to  doctrine  and  practice  ;  which  practices  have  a  tendency  to  make  divisions  and 
contentions  among  the  people  in  this  colony,  and  to  destroy  the  ecclesiastical 
constitution  by  the  laws  of  this  government,  and  likewise  to  hinder  the  growth 
and  increase  of  vital  piety  and  godliness  in  these  churches,  and  also  to  introduce 
unqualified  persons  into  the  ministry ;  and  more  especially  where  one  Assucia. 
tion  doth  intermeddle  with  the  affairs  that  by  the  Platform  and  Agreement 
abovesaid  made  at  Saybrook  aforesaid,  are  properly  within  the  province  and 
jurisdiction  of  another  Association,  as  to  the  licensing  of  persons  to  preach  and 
ordaining  ministers. 

"  Therefore  be  it  enacted,"  &c.  By  this  act  any  ordained  minister  or  liconsed 
person  to  preach  who  should  enter  into  any  parish  not  immediately  under  his 
charge,  and  there  preach  and  exhort  the  people,  is  secluded  the  benefit  of  the 
law  for  support  of  the  ministry,  except  such  ordained  ministers  or  licensed 
person  shall  be  expressly  invited,  and  desired  so  to  enter  into  such  other  parish, 
and  there  to  preach  and  exhort  the  people,  either  by  the  settled  minister  and 
major  part  of  the  church  ;  or  in  case  there  be  no  settled  minister,  by  the 
church  or  society  within  such  parish.  And  if  any  Association  of  ministers 
should  assume  the  prerogative  of  anolhcr,  by  way  of  license,  decision  or  coun- 
sel, such  Association  also  to  be  excluded  the  benefit  of  law  for  supporting  min. 
isters. 

By  the  same  act  it  is  ordained,  that  persons  who  are  not  settled  ministers, 
who  shall  publicly  preach  and  exhort  without  the  consent  of  the  settled  minis. 
ter,  &c,  to  bo  bound  to  their  good  and  peaceable  behavior,  and  in  particular 
not  to  offend  in  the  like  kind. 

And  foreigners  whether  of  an  ecclesiastical  character  or  not,  presuming  to 
teach,  preach,  or  publicly  exhort,  without  consent  of  the  settled  ministers,  &c. 
to  be  sent  as  vagrants  from  ono  constable  to  another  out  of  the  bounds  of  the 
colony  ;  and  by  an  Act  passed  in  the  year  1743,  in  addition  to  this,  if  any  such 
foreigner,  who  by  order  of  authority  hath  been  transported  out  of  the  bounds 
of  the  colony,  return  again  and  become  guilty  of  the  same  offence,  then  such 
offender  to  bo  bound  to  his  good  behavior  and  not  to  offend  again  in  like 
manner. 

This  may  justly  be  esteemed  a  very  severe  law  :  it  was  made  when  religious 
heat  and  controversy  ran  high,  but  however  imprudent  and  disorderly  some 
public  and  authorised  preachers,  and  others,  lay  exhorters,  were,  several  things 
in  this  act  cannot  be  justified  :  it  doth  not  appear  that  it  was  long  in  force, 
and  is  omitted  in  the  following  new  edition  of  the  laws,  A.  D.  1750,  or  if  any 
thing  remains  of  it  in  that  edition  it  is  found  in  an  act  entitled  "  An  act  for 
the  due  observation  and  keeping  the  Sabbath  or  Lord's  day  ;  and  for  preventing 
and  punishing  disorders  and  profaneness  on  the  same."  In  this  act  there  is 
the  following  paragraph  :  ■■  That  whatsoever  persons  shall  on  the  Lord's  day, 
under  any  pretence,  assemble  themselves  togothor  in  any  of  the  public  meeting 


55 

houses,  providod  in  any  town,  parish  or  society  for  the  public  worship  of  God, 
without  the  leave  or  allowance  of  the  minister  and  congregation  for  whose  use 
it  was  provided,  and  bo  thereof  convicted  as  aforesaid,  every  such  person  shall 
incur  the  penalty  of  ten  shillings  for  every  such  offence."  This  paragraph  may 
appear  reasonable  and  was  designed  to  prevent  public  disorder,  and  is  still  in 
force.  But  that  which  follows  in  the  next  paragraph  of  the  same  act  hath  been 
esteemed  contrary  to  Christian  liberty.  "  Nor  shall  any  neglect  the  public 
worsbip  of  God  in  somo  lawful  congregation,  and  form  themselves  into  separate 
companies  in  private  houses,  on  penalty  often  shillings  for  every  such  offence 
each  person  shall  be  guilty  of."  The  injustice  and  iniquity  of  imposing  upon 
the  rights  of  conscience  do  not  seem  to  be  fully  understood  when  this  law 
passed.  By  another  paragraph  of  it,  every  person  who  shall  be  unnecessarily 
absent  from  the  public  worship  of  God  on  the  Lord's  day  in  some  congrega- 
tion by  law  allowed,  is  liable  to  a  fine  of  three  shillings  ;  and  by  this  to  assem. 
ble  elsewhere  in  a  private  house  exposes  to  the  penalty  often  shillings.  How. 
ever,  this  severity  never  hindered  such  separate  companies  from  meeting  either 
in  private  houses,  or  from  providing  other  convenient  places  ;  nor  does  it  ap. 
pear  that  this  law  was  ever  made  much  use  of  against  them  :  such  companies 
were  for  a  number  of  years  tolerated  notwithstanding  the  law,  there  being  no 
prosecution  of  it ;  and  thus  the  matter  continued  till  the  year  1770,  when  the 
aforesaid  paragraph  was  repealed,  and  universal  liberty  of  worship  established 
in  the  following  act  entitled  "  An  act  in  addition  to  a  law  of  this  colony,  entitled 
1  An  act  for  the  due  observation  and  keeping  the  Sabbath  or  Lord's  day,  and 
for  preventing  and  punishing  disorders  and  profaneness  on  the  same.' 

'■  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Governor,  Council,  and  Representatives  in  General 
Court  assembled  and  by  the  authority  of  the  same  :  That  no  person  in  this  col- 
ony,  professing  the  Christian  Protestant  religion,  who  soberly  and  conscien. 
tiously  dissent  from  the  worship  and  ministry  established  or  approved  by  the 
laws  of  this  colony,  and  attend  public  worship  by  themselves,  shall  incur  any  of 
the  penalties  in  part  mentioned  for  not  attending  the  worship  and  ministry  so 
established  on  the  Lord's  day,  or  on  account  of  their  meeting  together  by  them- 
selves on  said  day  for  the  public  worship  of  God  in  a  way  agreeable  to  their 
consciences  ;  any  thing  in  said  act  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding." 

Since  this  act  of  Assembly  there  is  no  law  in  force  in  this  colony  for  hin- 
dering any  Protestants  of  whatever  denomination  from  forming  into  whatso- 
ever religious  societies  they  please,  for  worshipping  God  in  a  way  agreeable  to 
their  consciences,  without  any  application  to  the  civil  magistrate,  and  by  it  in 
this  respect  an  equal,  universal  Protestant  toleration  is  granted,  while  still  the 
approved  and  established  churches  continue  to  enjoy  the  samo  privileges  as 
they  did  before. 

IX.     Of  the  Sabbath,  or  Lord's  Day. 

The  laws  of  this  colony  respecting  the  observation  of  the  Sabbath,  require 
that  all  persons  carefully  apply  themselves  to  the  duties  of  religion,  publicly  and 
privately  ;  particularly  that  they  attend  public  worship  in  such  assembly  and 
manner  as  arc  agreeable  to  their  conscience,  in  which  regard  every  Protestant 
is  ;it  liberty  to  chooso  for  himself,  without  being  subject  to  any  penalty  or 
restriction  whatsoever ;  and  forbid  all  manner  of  labor,  business,  or  work  on 


56 

land  or  water  ;  also  all  kind  of  games,  sports,  plays  or  recreations;  likewise 
all  travelling  or  driving  of  carriages  and  cattle;  meeting  together  in  compa- 
nies in  the  streets  or  elsewhere  in  the  evening  before  or  after,  and  all  rude, 
profane,  and  unlawful  behavior  in  word  or  action,  and  whatsoever  may  dis- 
turb any  assembly  of  people  who  are  met  for  public  worship.  These  laws  havo 
been  numerous,  but  as  at  present  there  seems  nothing  in  them  that  bears  hard 
upon  religious  liberty,  I  content  myself  with  the  above  summary  of  them. 

X.     Of  Ministers  and  their  Support. 

The  laws  of  this  colony  havo  always  supported  an  approved  and  established 
ministry,  and  made  provision  in  what  manner  this  support  shall  be  obtained. 
These  laws  have  admitted  from  time  to  time  of  circumstantial  variations,  but 
for  substance  have  been  the  same  from  the  beginning.  It  will,  then,  bo  alto- 
gether unnecessary  to  recite  any  of  the  ancient  laws  of  this  colony;  it  will  be 
sufficient  to  give  a  summary  of  the  laws  now  in  force  respecting  this  matter, 
and  particularly  of  an  "  Act  or  law  of  the  colony,  entitled  '  An  act  for  the 
settlement,  support,  and  encouragement  of  ministers;  and  for  the  well  order, 
ing  of  estates  given  for  the  support  of  the  ministry.'" 

By  this  law  it  is  enacted  that  tho  inhabitants  of  any  town,  or  society,  or 
parish,  constituted  by  this  Assembly,  who  are  or  shall  be  present  at  any  town 
or  society  meeting  legally  warned,  shall  have  power  by  the  major  vote  of  thoso 
so  met,  to  call  and  settle  a  minister,  or  ministers  among  them,  and  to  provide 
for  his  or  their  support  and  maintenance. 

That  tho  minister  or  ministers  which  have  been  or  shall  be  so  called  and 
settled,  shall  be  the  minister  or  ministers  of  such  town  or  society. 

And  all  agreements  which  have  been  or  shall  be  made  by  the  major  part  of 
tho  inhabitants  of  any  town  or  society,  qualified  and  met  as  aforesaid  with 
such  minister  or  ministers,  respecting  his  or  their  settlement  and  maintenance 
shall  be  binding  and  obligatory  on  all  the  inhabitants  of  such  town  or  society 
so  agreeing,  and  on  their  successors,  according  to  the  true  intents  and  pur- 
poses thereof. 

Here  it  may  be  observed,  that  it  hath  always  been  a  principle  in  this  colony 
that  a  people  should  choose  their  own  minister  :  and  as  when  the  colony  was 
first  settled  there  were  no  Dissenters  from  the  common  and  approved  method 
of  worship  and  discipline,  it  was  taken  for  granted  that  all  who  were  taught 
in  word  or  doctrine  were  bound  in  equity  to  givo  for  the  support  of  the  Gos- 
pel according  to  their  several  abilities,  by  tho  same  rule  as  they  contributed 
to  other  necessary  expenses. 

And  as  for  many  years  there  was  no  other  approved  or  allowed  worship  but 
that  of  the  Congregational  and  Presbyterian,  none  were  excused  from  paying 
to  the  established  worship  and  ministry  ;  and  though  in  the  7th  year  of  Queen 
Anne  there  was  an  act  of  toleration  for  sober  qualified  Dissenters,  yet  this  did 
not  excuse  from  paying  toward  the  support  of  the  established  churches,  nor 
doth  it  appear  that  any  such  Dissenters  asked  this  favor  or  privilege  till  tho 
year  1727,  when  it  was  granted  the  professors  of  the  Church  of  England  by 
the  following  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  entitled  "  At  a  General  Assembly 
held  at  Hartford,  May  11,  1727,  'An    act  providing  how    the   taxes  levied  on 


57 

tlie  professors  of  the  Church  of  England  for  the  support  of  the  Gospel  shall  bo 
disposed  of,  and  for  exempting  said  professors  from  paying  any  taxes  for  the 
building  meeting  houses  for  the  present  established  churches  of  this  govern, 
ment.' " 

"  Upon  the  prayer  of  Moses  Ward,  of  Fairfield.,  church-warden  and  the  rest  of 
the  church-wardens,  vestrymen,  and  brethren,  representing  themselves  under  obli- 
gation by  tlie  Honorable  Society  and  Bishop  of  London,  to  pay  to  the  support  of  the 
Establislied  Churches  ;  praying  this  Assembly  by  some  act  or  otherwise,  to  free  them 
from  paying  to  dissenting  ministers,  and  from  building  dissenting  meeting  houses  ; 
and  complaining  that  money  hath  lately  been  taken  from  them  by  distress,  praying 
that  said  money  might  be  returned  unto  them. 

"  Said  Ward  appeared,  and  by  his  attorney  declared  to  this  Assembly,  that  he 
should  not  t7isist  on  the  return  of  the  money  prayed  for.  Asserted  it  to  have  been 
always  esteemed  an  hardship  by  those  of  the  profession  established  by  this  govern- 
ment, to  be  compelled  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  the  Church  of  England  where 
that  is  the  church  established  bylaw:  and  thereiqwn  urged  that  no  such  thing 
should  be  imposed  upon  any  dissenting  from  the  churches  here  approved  and  estab- 
lislied by  the  law  of  this  government :  further  urging  that  there  might  be  some 
provision,  made  by  the  law  for  the  obliging  their  parishioners  to  pay  to  the  support 
of  their  ministers." 

"  Be  it  therefore  enacted  by  the  Governor,  Council,  and  Representatives  in 
General  Court  assembled  and  by  the  authority  of  the  same,  that  all  persons 
who  aro  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  those  who  are  of  the  churches  estab. 
lished  by  tlie  laws  of  this  government  that  live  in  the  bounds  of  any  parish 
allowed  by  this  Assembly,  shall  bo  taxed  by  the  parishioners  of  the  said  parish 
by  the  same  rule,  and  in  the  same  proportion  for  the  support  of  the  ministry  in 
each  parish  ;  but  if  it  so  happen  thai  there  be  a  society  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land where  there  is  a  person  in  orders  according  to  the  canons  of  the  Church 
of  England  settled  and  abiding  amongst  them,  and  performing  divine  service 
so  near  to  any  person  that  hath  declared  himself  of  the  Church  of  England 
that  he  can  conveniently  and  doth  attend  tlie  public  worship  there,  then  the 
collectors  having  first  indifferently  levied  the  tax  as  abovesaid,  shall  deliver  the 
taxes  collected  of  such  persons  declaring  themselves  and  attending  as  aforesaid, 
unto  the  minister  of  the  Church  of  England  living  near  unto  such  persons; 
which  minister  shall  have  full  power  to  receive  and  recover  the  same  in  order 
to  his  support  in  the  place  assigned  him. 

"  But  if  such  proportion  of  taxes  be  not  sufficient  in  any  society  of  the 
Church  of  England  to  support  the  incumbent  there,  then  such  society  may 
levy  and  collect  of  them  who  profess  and  attend  as  aforesaid,  greater  taxes  at 
their  own  discretion,  for  the  support  of  their  minister. 

"  And  the  parishioners  of  the  Church  of  England  attending  as  aforesaid,  aro 
hereby  excused  from  paying  any  taxes  for  the  building  meeting  houses  for  tho 
present  established  churches  of  this  government." 

At  a  General  Assembly  held  at  Hartford,  May  8lh,  1729,  the  following  Act 
was  made,  in  favor  of  those  who  are  commonly  called  Quakors  : 

8 


58 

"  An  act  in  addition  to  and  for  the  alteration  of  an  act  made  in  the  7th  year 
of  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne,  entitled  '  Jin  act  for  the  ease  of  such  as  soberly  dis- 
sent from  the  way  of  worship  and  ministry  established  by  the  laws  of  this  govern- 
ment.'' Wliereas  it  is  provided  in  said  act,  tltat  nothing  therein  shall  be  construed 
to  the  excusing  any  person  from  paying  any  such  minister  or  toivn  dues,  as  were 
then,  or  afterward  should  be  due  from  them. 

"It  is  now  resolved  and  enacted  by  the  Governor,  &c,  that  where  there 
are  such  Dissenters  as  are  commonly  called  Quakess,  who  do  attend  the  wor- 
ship of  God  in  6itch  way  as  is  allowed  by  said  act  within  this  colony,  or  are  so 
situated  by  the  borders  thereof  as  that  they  may  and  do  attend  the  service  out 
of  the  limits  of  this  government  in  any  such  meeting  as  aforesaid,  and  shall 
produce  a  certificate  from  such  society  of  their  having  joined  themselves  to 
them,  and  that  they  do  belong  unto  their  society,  that  he  or  they  shall  be 
excused  from  contributing  to  the  support  of  the  established  ministry,  and  from 
contributing  or  paying  any  tax  for  the  building  any  meeting  house  or  houses  in 
the  society  or  parish  wheroin  they  dwell." 

The  same  year  at  a  General  Assembly  holden  at  New  Haven,  in  October, 
the  same  favor  was  granted  the  people  called  Baptists,  by  the  following  act : — 
"  An  act  concerning  the  people  called  Baptists." 

"  Upon  the  memorial  of  the  people  called  Baptists,  praying  that  they  may  be 
discharged  from  the  payment  of  rates  and  taxes  for  the  support  of  the  Gospel  min- 
istry in  this  government,  and  building  meeting  houses. 

"It  is  resolved,  &c.  that  for  the  future  the  same  privilege  and  exemption 
from  the  charges  aforesaid,  as  was  granted  by  this  Assembly  in  May  last  unto 
the  people  called  Quakers,  is  hereby  granted  unto  them,  under  the  like  regu- 
lations, any  law,  usage,  or  custom  to  the  contrary  otwithstanding." 

These  are  the  only  exemptions  from  paying  for  the  support  of  the  established 
churches,  unless  on  particular  application,  the  General  Assembly  is  pleased,  as 
they  sometimes  have  been  to  grant  special  exemptions  to  some  persons  ex- 
pressed by  name  ;  all  others  by  virtue  of  the  general  establishment  are  obliged 
to  pay  for  the  support  of  the  Presbyterian,  Congregational  and  Consociated 
Churches,  which  may  seem  to  bear  hard  upon  some  number,  I  know  not  how 
great,  of  people  commonly  called  Separates,  who,  though  professing  them- 
selves Congregational  in  principle,  yet  for  some  reasons  that  to  them  appear 
sufficient,  have  separated  from  the  standing  churches,  and  formed  themselves 
in  several  towns  and  parishes,  into  distinct  churches,  and  worshipping  assem- 
blies. 

It  is  thought  by  some  that  there  is  still  wanting  a  general  law,  whereby  all 
may  be  exempted  from  paying  to  the  support  of  the  estalished  churches,  who 
conscientiously  dissent  from  their  doctrine,  discipline,  or  mode  of  worship  :  yet 
as  the  matter  is  now  circumstanced,  I  believe  but  few  towns  or  societies  insist 
on  collecting  rates  from  those  who  are  Separates,  though  the  law  enables  them 
to  do  it.  Besides  all  such  may  apply  to  the  Assembly  for  relief,  where  they 
may  hope  to  be  heard  with  indulgence,  and  have  any  reasonable  favor  granted 
them. 


69 

Since  these  laws  of  exemption  were  made,  the  porsons  so  freed  from  ccclo- 
siastical  dues,  aro  not  admitted  to  act  in  such  affairs  in  town  or  society  meet, 
ings,  as  appears  from  an  act  entitled,  "  An  act  for  forming,  ordering,  and  reg. 
ulating  societies  or  parishes,"  in  which  among  other  things  it  is  enacted,  that 
no  person  "  who  is  or  shall  be  by  the  laws  of  this  government  freed  or  exempt- 
ed from  the  payment  of  those  taxes  granted  by  any  town  or  society  for  the 
support  of  the  worship  and  ministry  of  the  Presbyterian,  Congregational,  or 
Consociated  Churches  of  this  government,  and  for  the  building  and  maintaining 
meeting  houses  for  sucli  worship  on  account  or  by  reason  of  his  dissenting 
from  the  way  of  worship  and  ministry  aforesaid,  be  allowed  or  admitted  to  act 
or  vote  in  any  town  or  society  meeting  in  those  votes  which  respect  or  relate 
to  the  support  of  the  worship  and  ministry  aforesaid,  and  the  building  and 
maintaining  the  meeting  houses  aforesaid." 

None  appear  dissatisfied  with  this  law,  except  some  few  professors  of  the 
Church  of  England,  who  represent  it  as  an  hardship  that  they  are  taxed  with- 
out liberty  of  voting,  though  the  tax  be  for  their  own  benefit,  and  the  regula. 
lion  of  it  made  upon  their  desire.  I  can't  think  any  of  the  established  churches 
would  be  averse  to  an  alteration,  but  would  choose  to  be  altogether  discon- 
nected ;  and  that  they  might  be  enabled  to  do  their  own  business,  without  any 
concern  with  one  another.  If  I  am  rightly  informed  this  was  proposed  in  the 
General  Assembly  some  time  past,  but  was  laid  aside  upon  the  desire  of  tho 
Episcopalians,  who  did  not  think  it  would  be  best  for  them  in  their  present 
circumstances.  By  the  law  made  in  their  favor  and  on  their  desire,  whatever 
tax  is  collected  must  be  paid  their  own  ministers  ;  and  if  this  be  not  sufficient, 
they  may  tax  themselves.  Besides  as  the  laws  now  stand,  their  ministers  seem 
to  think  they  are  entitled  to  the  rates  of  people,  who  live  perhaps  at  forty  miles 
distance,  if  they  visit  and  preach  to  them  once  or  twice  a  year,  and  baptize 
their  children  ;  and  as  may  be  feared  sometimes  beguile  them  with  promises  of 
discharging  their  rates  if  they  become  Churchmen.  These  things  have  occa- 
sioned trouble  and  law-suits  in  some  places  which  might  be  prevented  by  an 
alteration  of  the  law. 

There  is  nothing  farther  needs  to  be  added  on  this  head,  except  that  I  do  not 
find  that  thero  is  any  special  office,  power,  or  privilege  of  a  civil  or  temporal 
nature  granted  to  ministers  but  that  of  being  exempted  from  taxes  for  them, 
selves  and  estates  lying  in  their  own  town  and  parish,  which  I  take  to  be  ex- 
tended to  all  ministers,  who  are  allowad  by  law,  and  not  peculiar  to  those  of 
the  established  churches.  On  the  other  hand,  I  do  not  find  that  by  any  law 
ministers  are  disqualified  to  hold  civil  offices  ;  and  yet  such  is  the  general  per- 
suasion botii  of  ministers  and  people,  that  ministers  should  mind  their  own 
business, — that  thero  have  been  but  few  instances  of  ministers  during  their 
ministry  acting  in  any  civil  office  or  capacity,  except  merely  that  of  freemen  of 
the  Company  since  the  first  settlement  of  the  country  :  and  when  ministers 
have  been  chosen  to  some  other  weighty  trust,  into  which  they  appeared  to  bo 
called  in  Providence,  they  have  usually  resigned  their  ministry,  as  not  consist, 
ent  with  civil  employments  :  the  only  thing  they  are  authorized  to  do  by  the 
laws  of  tho  colony  in  common  with  the  civil  magistrate,   is  to  join  persons  in 


60 

marriage  in  their  own  town  and  parish  ;  and  even  this  was  not  allowed  them 
at  first,  but  assigned  altogether  to  the  mngistrate  as  his  proper  work.  As  to 
marriage-licenses  there  is  no  such  thing  allowed  by  law,  but  it  is  required  that 
the  intentions  of  marriage  shall  always  be  published  in  due  form,  before  any 
magistrate  or  minister  join  persons  in  marriage.  As  to  the  spiritual  discipline 
of  the  Gospel,  ministers  and  churches  of  every  denomination  are  allowed  freely 
to  follow  their  own  way,  but  their  determinations  do  not  affect  any  in  their 
civil  interest,  offices  and  character,  by  force  of  any  law,  nor  otherwise  than  as 
church  censures  may,  in  the  reason  and  nature  of  the  thing,  have  an  influence 
in  fixing  a  man's  character,  and  may  consequentially  affect  him  in  regard  to 
his  temporal  interests,  while  yet  he  is  put  under  no  legal  disability  of  any  kind 
by  such  censures.  But  though  there  be  no  law  enforcing  ecclesiastical  cen- 
sures with  any  civil  penalties  or  forfeitures,  yet  such  hath  been  and  still  is  the 
general  regard  to  the  public  profession  of  religion  and  virtue,  that  if  it  be 
known  that  any  persons  are  scandalously  guilty  of  breaking  the  rules  of  either, 
such  persons  without  some  visible  reformation  and  amendment,  stand  but  little 
chance  for  those  offices,  which  are  in  the  gift  of  the  people  by  election,  or  are 
filled  up  by  appointment  of  the  General  Assembly. 

And  as  to  those  matters  which  are  cognizable  by  the  spiritual  courts  in  Eng- 
land, ministers  have  no  concern  in  this  Colony.  Whatever  relates  to  marriage, 
divorce,  incest,  scandal,  matters  testamentary,  &c.,  is  altogether  determined 
in  the  common  courts  of  law,  or  such  other  courts  as  the  General  Assembly 
have  ordained,  as  is  the  case  in  matters  testamentary,  for  which  a  peculiar 
court  called  the  Court  of  Probate  is  appointed.  As  the  civil  magistrate  meddles 
not  with  matters  of  discipline,  so  neither  are  ministers  allowed  to  meddle  with 
civil  and  temporal  matters.  These  seem  too  much  blended  in  the  ecclesiastical 
courts  in  England,  but  are  here  perfectly  distinct.  Thero  tho  spiritual  court 
is  supreme  and  uncontrolled  in  matters  of  discipline,  and  in  finally  and  abso- 
lutely determining  on  cases  of  excommunication,  sovereignly  directing  who 
shall  be  received  to  or  cast  out  from  the  Christian  fellowship,  as  well  as 
authorized  in  those  matters  aforesaid  which  are  purely  temporal  :  but  here  as 
churches  are  left  at  free  liberty  to  exercise  their  own  spiritual  discipline  ;  so 
effectual  provision  is  made  for  the  determination  of  those  other  cases  which 
come  within  tho  jurisdiction  of  the  magistrate. 

I  have  now  done  with  those  laws,  a  view  of  which  seemed  necessary  in  or- 
der to  a  just  knowledge  of  the  present  state  of  religious  liberty  in  this  colony, 
and  tho  progress  this  liberty  hath  made  from  the  original  settlement  unto  the 
present  day.  The  design  of  our  fathers  in  the  first  settlement  of  this  country 
was  noble,  and  they  went  through  amazing  difficulties  in  the  accomplishment 
of  it.  The  grand  inducement  was  religion,  and  liberty  of  worshipping  God  in 
a  way  agreeable  to  their  consciences  ;  and  though  they  were  not  fully  ac- 
quainted with  the  just  extent  of  religious  freedom,  yet  they  adopted  such  prin- 
ciples and  such  an  ecclesiastical  polity  as  naturally  led  on  to  it.  Thoy  were 
immovcably  fixed  in  the  only  sufficient  rulo  by  which  the  whole  of  religion  is 
to  be  determined,  that  is  tho  Holy  Scriptures  ;  that  Christ  Jesus  is  tho  only 
Lawgiver   and  King   in  his  church  ;  and  that  no  man.    no  body  of  men  upon 


61 

earth  have  any  authority  to  make  laws,  or  prescribe  things  in  religion  to 
bind  the  conscience,  and  that  every  man  should  bo  careful  to  know  the  mind 
of  Christ,  that  his  faith  mioht  rest  on  a  divine  foundation  ;  and  finally,  this  is 
the  grand,  the  only  principle  on  which  the  unity,  the  purity  and  peace  of  tho 
Christian  church  can  subsist  :  and  if,  notwithstanding  these  principles,  liberty 
in  matters  of  religion  hath  been  under  any  embarrassments,  as  most  certainly 
it  hath,  this  proceeded  not  from  the  nature  of  these  principles,  or  of  our  eccle- 
siastical polity,  which  bears  a  friendly  aspect  on  public,  civil,  and  religious 
freedom,  but  from  the  spirit  of  those  times,  which  hath  greatly  altered.  It  is 
certain  that  for  a  considerable  time  there  was  too  much  of  a  coercive  uniform, 
ity  in  the  laws  of  the  colony  ;  but  this  by  degrees  disappears,  and  an  equal, 
universal,  Protestant  liberty  is  established  in  its  room. 

On  the  whole,  by  this  view  of  our  ecclesiastical  and  religious  laws,  we  find 
how  the  cause  of  liberty  hath  gained  ground  in  this  colony.  Those  laws  which 
were  inconsistent  with  freedom  of  thought  and  liberty  of  conscienco  are  either 
wholly  repealed  and  set  aside,  or  so  moddelled  that  none  can  be  oppressed  by 
them.  Wc  have  indeed  a  Religious  Establishment,  but  it  is  of  such  a  kind,  and 
with  such  universal  toleration,  that  the  consciences  of  other  sects  cannot  be 
affected  or  wounded  by  it,  while  every  one  is  at  perfect  liberty  to  worship  God 
in  such  way  as  is  most  agreeable  to  his  own  mind.  Whatever  oppressive 
measures  have  been  heretofore  adopted,  we  recollect  with  regret  and  disappro- 
bation. Wc  rejoice  that  these  have  ceased,  and  that  there  is  such  freedom  of 
religious  inquiry  and  worship,  that  no  man  need  be  in  bondage.  We  desire 
not  the  aid  of  other  sects  to  maintain  our  churches  ;  and  while  we  stand  fust  to 
the  Constitution  we  have  chosen,  and  think  it  in  doctrine  and  discipline  most 
agreeable  to  the  Scripture,  the  unerring  standard  of  faith  and  worship,  we 
would  not  oppress  others,  nor  be  oppressed  ourselves,  but  exercise  good  will 
and  charity  to  our  brethren  of  other  denominations,  with  fervent  prayers  that 
peace  and  holiness,  liberty,  truth,  and  purity  may  be  established  more  and  more 
among  those  that  name  the  name  of  Christ,  and  be  univeisally  diffused  among 
mankind. 


62 


An  Account  of  the  number  of  Inhabitants  in  the  Colony  of  Connecti- 
cut, Jan.  1,  1774  ;  and  an  Estimate  of  the  Proportion  of  Episcojjalians 
to  Non.  Episcopalians  in  the  same. 


County  of  Hartford. 


Towns. 
Bolton, 
Chatham, 
East  Haddam, 
Enfield, 
Farmington, 
Glastenbury, 
Haddam, 
Hartford, 
Simsbury, 
Somers, 
Suffield, 
Tolland, 
Wethersfield, 
Willington, 
Colchester, 
East  Windsor, 
Hebron, 
Middletovvn, 
Stafford, 
Windsor, 


Epis. 

80 
88 

244 

23 
111 

914 


JYon-Ep. 
994 
2289 
2655 
1353 
5719 
1992 
1690 
4770 
2757 
1024 
1980 
1242 
3341 
1000 


Total. 
994 
2369 
2743 
1353 
5963 
1992 
1713 
4881 
3671 
1024 
1980 
1247 
3347 
1000 
3057 
2961 
2285 
4680 
1333 
2082 


1  to  22.  Total,  1471     32806     50675 
County  of  New  Haven. 


Towns. 
New  Haven, 
Branford, 
Derby, 
Durham, 
Guilford, 
Milford, 
Wallingford, 
Waterbury, 


Epis. 

JVon-Ep. 

Total. 

942 

7080 

8022 

86 

1852 

1938 

725 

1094 

1819 

6 

1025 

1031 

213 

2633 

2846 

153 

1812 

1965 

626 

4151 

4777 
3498 

1  to  7.     Total,  2751     19647     25896 
County  of  New  London. 


Towns. 
Preston, 
Groton, 
Killingworth, 
Stonington, 
Saybrook, 
New  London, 
Norwich, 
Lyme, 


lto25.   Total,    596     14708    31542 


Epis. 

JVon-Ep. 

Total. 

221 

2034 

2255 

222 

3266 

3488 

68 

1889 

1957 

32 

4924 

4956 

33 

2595 

2628 
5366 
7032 
3860 

County  of  Fairfield. 


Towns.  Epis. 

Danbury,  420 

Greenwich,  443 

New  Fairfield,  87 

Newtown,  1084 

Norwalk,  792 

Redding,  478 

Ridgefield,  329 

Stamford,  710 
Fairfield, 
Stratford, 


JVon-Ep.    Total. 
2053       2473 


2211 
1201 
1084 
3451 
711 
1344 
2793 


2654 
1288 
2168 
4243 
1189 
1673 
3503 
4544 
5201 


10  to  34.  Total,  4343    14848    28936 


County  of  Windham. 


Towns. 
Coventry, 
Pomfret, 
Killingly, 
Lebanon, 
Mansfield, 
Plainfield, 
Voluntown, 
Union, 
Canterbury, 
Ashford, 
Windham, 
Woodstock, 


Epis.  JVon-Ep. 
11       2021 


55 
30 
36 
12 


2186 
3409 
3805 
2431 
1479 
1470 
512 


Total. 
2032 
2241 
3439 
3841 
2443 
1479 
1476 
512 
2392 
2228 
3437 
1974 


1  to  115.  Total,  150     17313    27494 

County  of  Litchfield. 
Towns.            Epis.  JVon-Ep.    Total. 

Litchfield,  191       1318       1509 

Canaan,  91       1482       1573 

Cornwall,  53         904         957 

Hartland,  49         451         500 

New  Hartford,  25         960         985 

Norfolk,  38         928         966 

Salisbury,  91       1845       1936 

Sharon,  33       1903       1986 

Torrington,  31         812         843 

Barkhamsted,  250 

Colebrook,  150 

Goshen,  1098 

Harwinton,  1015 

Kent,  1922 

New  Milford,  2742 

Westmoreland,  1922 

Winchester,  327 

Woodbury,  5224 

1  to  16.     Total,  655    10600    25944 


63 

As  far  as  the  accounts  have  been  sent,  the  estimate  of  Episcopalians,  &c, 
stands  thus  : — 


Counties. 

Episcopal. 

Non-Epis. 

Total. 

Hartford    County, 

1471 

32806 

50675 

New  Haven     do. 

2751 

19647 

25896 

New  London  do. 

596 

14708 

31542 

Fairfield           do. 

4343 

14848 

28936 

Windham         do. 

150 

17313 

27494 

Litchfield         do. 

655 

10542 

25944 

Total,        9966  119922  190487 

which  gives  1  Episcopalian  to  12  Non-Episcopalians  nearly,  or  makes  the  Epis- 
copalians about  1  in  13  of  the  whole  number  of  inhabitants  ;  and  probably  there 
would  be  no  great  difference  from  this  proportion  were  the  account  of  all  the 
towns  come  in,  which  I  hope  soon  to  gain. 

ELIZUR  GOODRICH. 
Durham,  Sept.  5,  A.  D.  1774. 


GENERAL  REMARKS. 


Were  all  the  extracts,  presented  to  the  Convention,  now  possessed  and  spread 
out  before  the  reader,  we  should  probably  find  a  more  intolerant  spirit  in  some 
of  the  colonies  than  existed  in  Connecticut.  For  no  inconsiderable  time  after 
the  colonies  were  settled  the  principles  of  civil  liberty  were  little  understood. — 
Concerning  the  treatment  of  Roger  Williams  in  Massachusetts,  very  different 
opinions  may  be  formed.  The  facts  pertaining  to  that  most  singular  man  are 
better  sketched  by  the  Hon.  J.  Q.  Adams,  in  his  Address  before  the  Historical 
Society  of  Massachusetts  in  May  last,  on  the  second  Centennial  Celebration  of 
the  New  England  Colonies,  than  by  many  who  have  spoken  of  his  character. 
If  he  had  a  conscientious  spirit,  it  is  certain  he  indulged,  for  a  time,  in  a  very 
contentious  one. 

Passing  his  case  ;  by  the  laws  of  Virginia,  where  Episcopacy  was  established, 
ministers  from  New  England,  who  had  upon  the  invitation  of  pious  people  gone 
thither  to  labor  in  1642,  and  were  recommended  by  the  Governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts to  the  Governor  and  Council  of  that  province,  were  obliged  to  depart, 
and  they  returned  the  next  year.  They  formed  a  church,  which  in  1648  em- 
braced 118  members.  But  its  enlargement  afforded  no  security.  Its  elder,  Mr. 
Durand,  was  first  banished,  and  afterwards  its  pastor,  Mr.  Harrison,  was  obliged 
to  depart.— Holmes'  Annals,  vol.  1,  pp.  264,  271,239. 

More  than  eighty  years  afterwards,  under  the  administration  of  Lord  Corn- 
bury,  Governor  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  two  Presbyterian  clergymen, 
Rev.  James  Makemie  and  Rev.  John  Hampton,  were  imprisoned  for  preaching 
in  his  government  ;  and  the  former  was  subjected  to  a  trial,  though  acquitted 
by  a  jury.— Narrative  of  a  new  and  unusual  Imprisonment  of  two  Presbyterian 
Ministers,  &c,  appended  to  Dr.  Hill's  American  Presbyterianism. 


64 

The  offensive  law  passed  in  Connecticut  in  1742,  was  designed  to  stop  the 
disorders  which  followed  particularly  the  career  of  the  Rev.  James  Davenport. 
It  would  be  difficult  at  this  time  to  form  adequate  conceptions  of  those  evils. 
Some  idea  may  be  gathered  from  the  Retractations  of  Davenport  himself. — See 
Retractations  in  Rev.  Joseph  Fish's  Sermons,  pp.  125—127.  Dr.  Trumbull  in 
the  second  volume  of  his  History  of  Connecticut  censures  that  law  in  very  strong 
lano-ua"-e  ;  and  he  ascribes  its  passage  and  character  very  much  to  the  doings 
of  a  Consociation  called  by  the  Legislature  in  the  close  of  the  preceding  year, 
which  are  referred  to  in  the  preamble  to  the  act,  though  he  had  never  seen  the 
Minutes  of  that  body.  Since  his  death  the  Minutes  have  been  found,  and  it  is 
clear,  whatever  respect  the  Legislature  paid  to  the  doings  of  that  body,  that 
their  law  went  beyond  them. — See  Appendix  to  the  Sermon  of  Rev.  Thomas 
Robbins,  (now  Dr.  Robbins)  at  the  Installation  of  Rev.  Enoch  Burt,  at  Man- 
chester, Ct.,  July  1,  1824,  to  which  the  Minutes  are  appended. 

As  to  the  controversy  about  an  American  Episcopate  before  the  Revolution- 
ary War — the  late  Bishop  White  in  his  Memoirs  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  United  States,  expresses  the  belief  that  it  was  impossible  (then) 
to  have  obtained  the  concurrence  of  a  respectable  number  of  laymen  in  any 
measure  for  the  obtaining  an  American  Episcopate.  He  admits,  also,  the  com- 
paratively small  number  of  Episcopalians  in  the  colonies,  pp.  17,  18,  69. 

The  apprehension  that  an  Episcopal  hierarchy  might  be  established  in  the 
colonies  was  one  cause  of  the  American  Revolution.  To  this  fact  the  elder 
President  Adams  testifies — "  Where  is  the  man  to  be  found,"  says  he,  "  at  this 
dav,  when  we  see  Methodistical  Bishops,  Bishops  of  the  Church  of  England,  and 
Bishops,  Archbishops,  and  Jesuits  of  the  Church  of  Rome  with  indifference, 
who  will  believe,  that  the  apprehension  of  Episcopacy  contributed,  fifty  years 
a^o,  (1815)  as  much  as  any  other  cause,  to  arouse  the  attention,  not  only  of  the 
inquiring  mind,  but  of  the  common  people,  and  urge  them  to  close  thinking 
on  the  constitutional  authority  of  Parliament  over  the  colonies  ?  This,  nevert- 
heless, was  a  fact  as  certain  as  any  in  the  history  of  North  America. 

"  The  objection  was  not  merely  to  the  office  of  a  Bishop,  though  even  that  was 
dreaded,  as  to  the  authority  of  Parliament,  on  which  it  must  be  founded.  The 
reasoning  was  this  : — The  Archbishops  and  Bishops  in  England  can  neither 
locate  and  limit  diocesses  in  America,  nor  ordain  Bishops  in  any  part  of  the  do- 
minions of  Great  Britain,  out  of  the  realm,  by  any  law  of  the  kingdom,  or  of 
any  of  the  colonies,  nor  by  any  canon  law  acknowledged  by  either.  The  King 
cannot  grant  his  conge  (Petite  to  any  people  out  of  his  realm.  There  is  no  power, 
or  pretended  power,  less  than  Parliament,  that  can  create  Bishops  in  America. 
But  if  Parliament  can  erect  diocesses  and  appoint  Bishops,  they  may  introduce 
the  whole  hierarchy,  establish  tithes,  forbid  marriages  and  funerals,  establish 
religion,  forbid  dissenters,  make  schism  heresy,  impose  penalties  extending  to 
life  and  limb,  as  well  as  to  liberty  and  property,"  &c. — See  Dr.  Morse's  Annals 
of  the  American  Revolution,  pp.  197—203. 


MISSING    LETTERS. 


The  Letters  mentioned  as  missing,  pp.  27,  28,  and  36,  have  come  to  hand  just 

in  season  to  be  added  here. 

Letter  from  the  Committee  of  Dissenters  in  London. 
[Page  27.] 

"Rev.  Sir,— 

"The  favor  of  your  letter,  signed  as  Register,  in  the  name  and  by  order  of 
the  Reverend  General  Convention  of  Delegates  from  the  Consoeiated  Churches 
of  Connecticut,  and  from  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  met  at  New 
Haven,  14th  September,  1769,  did  not  come  to  the  hands  of  Jasper  Mauduit, 
Esq.  (Chairman  of  the  Committee  for  managing  the  civil  affairs  of  the  Dissen- 
ters) for  upwards  of  nine  months,  and  he  having  summoned  a  meeting  of  the 
said  Committee,  they  took  your  letter  into  consideration,  and  have  desired  me 
(who  have  the  honor  of  being  their  Secretary)  to  acquaint  you  that  the  Com- 
mittee is  fully  sensible  of  the  many  civil  and  religious  inconveniences  that  would 
arise  from  the  introduction  of  Diocesan  Bishops  into  America  ;  and  therefore 
beg  leave  to  assure  you  of  their  most  vigilant  attention  to  oppose  and  frustrate 
any  such  design  ;  at  the  same  time  they  have  the  pleasure  of  informing  you 
that  they  have  made  the  strictest  inquiries,  and  are  able  from  the  very  best 
authorities  to  assure  you  that  there  is  no  such  design  on  foot,  at  present ;  and 
that  they  hope  government  are  so  sensible  of  the  confusion  such  a  step  would 
make  among  our  American  brethren,  that  however  warmly  some  of  our  Bishops 
may  wish  for  it,  and  express  their  desires  in  their  sermons  on  public  occasions, 
yet  the  Committee  verily  believe  they  will  never  be  able  to  accomplish  them. 
But  that  however  as  you  and  they  are  engaged  in  one  common  cause,  the  de- 
fence of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  you  may  depend  upon  it,  that  if  any  attempts 
are  made  to  revive  this  design,  the  Committee  will  carefully  watch  and  exert 
their  utmost  endeavors  to  prevent  the  carrying  it  into  execution. 

"I  am,  Sir,  further  directed  by  the  Committee  to  acquaint  you  that  they  shall 
be  very  ready  and  willing  to  continue  a  correspondence  with  you,  and  from  time 
to  time  to  transmit  to  you  the  earliest  intelligence  they  can  get  relative  to  this 
matter.  And  if  hereafter  you  have  occasion  to  communicate  any  thing  to  them, 
you  will  please  to  direct  your  letters  to  Jasper  Mauduit,  Esq.,  in  Hackney  near 
London,  or  to  Mr.  Thomas  Cotton,  Attorney  at  Law,  in  Hackney. 

"  Signed  in  the  name  and  by  the  order  of  the  said  Committee, 

"  Thomas  Cotton,  Secretary. 

"4th  August,  1770. 

"  I  have  sent  letters  of  the  same  tenor  and  date  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Allison  and 
Mr.  Whitman." 

9 


66 


Letter  of  the  Convention  to  the  Committee  of  Dissenters. 

[Page  28.] 

«  Sir,— 

"  Your  favors  of  the  4th  of  August,  1770,  in  answer  to  ours  of  the  14th 
Sept.  1769,  came  safe  to  the  hands  of  Dr.  Allison  and  Dr.  Rodgers,  and  were 
laid  before  the  General  Convention  of  Delegates  from  the  Consociated  Churches 
of  Connecticut,  and  from  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  It  gives 
us  particular  satisfaction  to  find  you  embarked  in  the  same  cause  with  us,  and 
that  you  are  so  sensible  of  the  many  inconveniences  that  would  attend  the  in- 
troduction of  Diocesan  Bishops  into  America  as  to  engage  your  most  vigilant 
attention  to  oppose  and  frustrate  such  a  design.  It  is  no  less  pleasing  to  us  to 
be  assured  from  so  good  authority  that  such  a  scheme  is  laid  aside  for  the 
present.  Yet  we  have  sufficient  reason  to  believe  that  the  measure  is  so  desira- 
ble to  the  Bishops  in  England  and  the  Episcopal  clergy  with  us  that  they  will 
lose  no  opportunity  of  carrying  it  into  execution,  and  therefore  will  privately  as 
well  as  publicly  countenance  every  measure  and  improve  every  advantage  that 
has  even  a  remote  and  distant  tendency  to  subjugate  the  colonies  to  Episcopal 
domination,  as  this  will  easily  pave  the  way  for  the  destruction  of  our  civil  liber- 
ties. We  have  but  too  much  reason  to  know  that  Diocesan  Bishops  with  their 
inferior  clergy,  have  always  been  the  tools  of  arbitrary  power,  and  ready  to  fall 
in  with  and  promote  the  views  of  a  minister  of  state,  however  detrimental  they 
may  be  to  other  denominations  of  Christians.  In  this  point  of  light  we  view  the 
Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  in  procuring  grants  of  land 
vested  in  them  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  the  Episcopal  clergy  in  the  town- 
ships laid  out  in  New  Hampshire  of  late  years,  although  few  or  no  Episcopalians 
reside  in  them,  and  in  granting  considerable  salaries  to  missionaries  in  the  most 
populous  paits  of  our  colonies,  even  where  there  are  faithful  ministers  of  other 
denominations  settled  and  but  a  few  families  of  their  religious  persuasion,  while 
at  the  same  time  they  are  neglecting  to  supply  great  numbers  of  their  clergy  not 
only  in  Scotland  but  even  in  England.  The  reason  is  plain  ;  the  form  of  church 
government  is  fixed  in  those  places,  but  here  they  have  hopes  by  their  bounties 
to  be  able  to  form  and  fix  the  government  to  their  own  minds,  and  in  time  sub- 
ject us  to  Episcopal  jurisdiction.  Their  partiality  also  appears  very  flagrant  in 
neglecting  to  send  missionaries  among  the  poor  benighted  Indians  on  our  bor- 
ders, although  their  money  was  partly  designed  for  their  relief,  and  the  many 
distressed  inhabitants  on  our  frontiers  who  are  perishing  for  want  of  knowledge, 
having  few  to  break  the  bread  of  life  among  them.  The  peculiar  care  of  the 
Episcopalians  among  ourselves  where  they  have  any  influence,  to  fill  all  the 
places  of  power  and  trust  in  our  various  governments  with  those  of  their  own 
denomination,  or  at  least  those  who  are  in  their  interest,  seems  to  us  evidently 
calculated  to  promote  their  grand  design,  and  therefore  fills  us  with  uneasy  ap- 
prehensions. Upon  the  whole,  these  considerations  make  it  evident  to  us  that 
their  views  are  not  so  much  to   promote  Christianity  as  the  establishment  of 


67 

Episcopal  church  government  in  the  colonies,  and  therefore  engage  our  constant 
watchfulness  lest  they  should  take  the  advantage  of  our  being  off  our  guard 
to  accomplish  a  design,  which,  however  pleasing  to  them,  will  be  attended  with 
the  most  lamentable  consequences  to  the  interests  of  true  religion  and  liberty 
among  us. 

"  As  we  shall  always  look  upon  ourselves  greatly  obliged  by  your  continued 
correspondence,  please  to  direct  any  intelligence  or  advice  you  may  think  proper 
to  transmit  to  us,  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Allison  in  Philadelphia,  Dr.  John  Rodgers 
in  New  York,  and  Mr.  Whitman  in  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

"  Signed  by  order  of  the  General  Convention, 

"Nathaniel  Taylor,  Chairman. 

'k  Elizabethtown,  October  3d,  1770. 

"  P.  S.  "We  also  herewith  send  you  an  account  of  only  one  instance  of  Epis- 
copal oppression  in  the  colony  of  Georgia,  which  may  show  what  we  are  to 
expect  in  case  their  wished  for  plan  should  be  carried  into  execution,  and  that 
Mr.  Zubly  whose  congregation  has  been  thus  treated,  is  a  gentleman  of  an  estab- 
lished reputation  for  learning,  prudence,  and  piety.     See  Appendix  No.  2." 

[This  record  has  not  been  found  in  tbe  Appendix  of  the  Minutes.] 


Letter  of  the  Deputation  of  Dissenters  in  London,  to  the  Convention. 

[Page  36.] 

"  Rev.  Sir,— 

"  Your  favor  to  our  Secretary,  Mr.  Cotton,  dated  October  10th  last,  he  pro- 
duced and  read  to  our  Committee  who  referred  to  us  to  give  an  answer  thereto. 
We  beg  you  will  depend  upon  it  that  the  Committee  will  ever  carefully  watch 
against  any  attempts  that  may  be  made  to  introduce  Diocesan  Bishops  into 
America.  We  are  sensible  indeed  the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts  and  the  Episcopal  clergy  are  very  desirous  of  it,  but  at  the  same 
time,  are  fully  persuaded  that  administration  have  no  such  intention  at  present, 
and  that  no  steps  relating  thereto  have  been  taken  by  them  since  our  last.  If 
any  petition  for  that  purpose  should  be  agitated  in  your  or  in  any  other  of  the 
colonies,  we  desire  you  will  endeavor  to  counterwork  it,  and  if  such  a  one 
should  come  over  here,  the  Committee  will  be  sure  to  oppose  it. 

"  With  regard  to  the  affair  you  desired  our  thoughts  of,  as  to  your  having 
an  agent  here,  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  Committee  that  a  proper  person  qualified 
to  be  your  agent  in  the  manner  specified  in  your  letter,  would  be  very  difficult 
to  be  found  ;  and  if  such  a  one  could  be  found  would  not  answer  your  end,  as 
he  would  not  have  the  weight  with  administration  as  this  Committee  would  ;  for 


68 


whatever  he  might  at  any  time  say,  they  would  look  upon  him  as  an  agent  for 

the  colonies  and  under  their  influence,  whereas  no  such  bias  could  be  imputed 

to  this  Committee. 

"  We  hope    you  will  rest  assured  that  we  will   always  exert  ourselves  for 

your  benefit,  in  defence  of  your  religious  liberties  : 

"  And  are,  Rev.  Sir, 

"Your  most  humble  servants, 

"  Richard  Cooke, 
"  Robert  Lewin, 
"  Edward  Hunt, 
"Jas.  Bay  French, 
"  The  Rev.  Dr.  Allison. 

"  January  22,  1771." 


"  Jasper  Mauduit, 
"  Wm.  Bowden, 

"  Thomas  Lucas. 


Princeton  Theologic 


al  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1   1012  01082  0258 


I 

DATE  DUE 

^*»*. 

MiRa&wft 

£ 

GAYLORD 

PRINTED  IN  US    A. 

